‘Blood on his hands’: Pakistan turn on Donald Trump over Nobel Peace Prize furore

A nation has turned its back on US President Donald Trump after initially promising to nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize.

A former Pakistani opposition leader has claimed Donald Trump’s hands are “stained with blood”, calling for his nation to withdraw its Nobel Peace Prize nomination for the US president.

Over the weekend, Pakistan revealed it would formally recommend Mr Trump for the prestigious award for his role in resolving the recent conflict with India.

News of the nomination arrived just before Mr Trump confirmed US strikes on nuclear sites in Iran.

The fast-developing situation has since evolved into a tenuous ceasefire between Iran and Israel, which saw Republican congressman Buddy Carter nominate the US President for the Nobel Peace Prize on Tuesday “in recognition of his extraordinary and historic role in brokering an end to the armed conflict”.

The ceasefire appeared to hold after the first night with Mr Trump lambasting both sides in the aftermath of the US’ attack on Iran’s nuclear sites over the weekend.

While the US President called it an “obliteration” of Iran’s nuclear capabilities, bombshell reports have since emerged that the nation’s nuclear program remains intact.

“President Trump’s influence was instrumental in forging a swift agreement that many believed to be impossible,” Mr Carter wrote in the letter.

“President Trump also took bold, decisive actions to halt Iran’s nuclear ambitions and ensure that the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism remains incapable of acquiring nuclear weapons.”

Nobel Peace Prize nominations can come from heads of state down to politicians serving at a national level, international courts of law as well as university chancellors and professors of social science, history, philosophy, law and theology, directors of foreign policy institutes, past recipients of a Nobel prize and members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

But the support in Pakistan appears to be wavering after the US’ actions in Iran.

On Saturday, Pakistan’s government praised President Trump’s “great strategic foresight and stellar statesmanship”, adding he was a “genuine peacemaker”.

On Sunday, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the US attack on Iran, stating the move violated international law.

“The unprecedented escalation of tension and violence, owing to ongoing aggression against Iran is deeply disturbing,” Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

“Any further escalation of tensions will have severely damaging implications for the region and beyond.”

Trump arriving at the 2025 NATO Summit. Photo by Omar Havana/Getty Images

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a statement that he had contacted Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and “conveyed Pakistan’s condemnation of the US attacks”.

It comes as thousands protested in the streets of Pakistan’s biggest city Karachi against the US and Israeli strikes.

Pakistani politicians have also called for their government to withdraw their nomination.

President of Pakistan’s Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party and former leader of the opposition Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman called for his nation to withdraw its nomination.

“President Trump’s claim of peace has proven to be false; the proposal for the Nobel prize should be withdrawn,” Rehman told party members at a meeting on Sunday.

“Trump has supported the Israeli attacks on Palestine, Syria, Lebanon and Iran. How can this be a sign of peace?

“How can a man with the blood of Afghans and Palestinians on his hands claim to be a peacemaker?”

Similarly former senator Mushahid Hussain said on X: “Since Trump is no longer a potential peacemaker, but a leader who has wilfully unleashed an illegal war, Pakistan government must now review, rescind and revoke his Nobel nomination!”

Veteran politician Afrasiab Khattak posted on X: “The sycophancy adopted by Pakistani ruling elite in nominating President Trump for Nobel Peace Prize is not part of normative conduct in international diplomacy. It was most embarrassing to announce the nomination hours before Trump ordered to bomb Iranian nuclear sites.”

Shiite Muslims walk over a representation of US flag. Photo: AP Photo/Fareed Khan

In more bad news for Mr Trump, senior Ukrainian politician Oleksandr Merezhko withdrew his Nobel Peace Prize nomination for the US President, claiming he’d lost “any kind of faith” that he could end the war in Ukraine.

Mr Merezhko nominated Trump in late 2024, telling The Telegraph he believed it would help the then president-elect to follow through on his promises of ending the war.

In May 2023, Mr Trump said he could settle the war between Russia and Ukraine in “24 hours”, a claim he repeated 53 times throughout the campaign according to a CNN fact check.

He walked the claim back in an interview with Time, saying he “said that figuratively, and I said that as an exaggeration, to make a point”.

“Obviously, people know that when I said that, it was said in jest, but it was also said that it will be ended,” he added.

Since taking office, Mr Trump has had a disastrous meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office, while Russia and Ukraine appear to be no closer to peace as the US President’s attention turns to the Middle East.

Trump speaks with the media en route to the NATO Summit. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images/AFP

In a letter to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Mr Merezhko wrote: “This appeasement of aggression encourages Putin to continue the attack. Trump just turns a blind eye to all of it.

“I lost any kind of faith that Trump will deliver in any of his promises.”

Of Mr Trump’s actions in the Middle East, Mr Merezhko said: “I understand his position in relation to Israel. It is the right thing to do in order to help Israel to survive because Iran has said they want to destroy Israel.

“I wish he would do the same for Ukraine. Russia also wants to destroy Ukraine. Russia and Iran help each other. Trump should be consistent and help Ukraine.”

However, Mr Trump has renewed support from Israel to achieve his coveted Nobel Peace Prize aspirations.

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon warned Iran that any violation to the fragile ceasefire will be met with a “forceful response”.

But he also praised Mr Trump for his involvement in the ceasefire, saying he “deserves” a Nobel Peace Prize.

“I think we should thank him for his leadership, for the brave decision that he took, and to recognise the effort of the United States.”

Mr Trump has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize several times during his presidencies, but has yet to win the award.

It’s a fact he is well aware of judging by a post last Friday on Truth Social after he announced a peace deal between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda.

“I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize no matter what I do,” Mr Trump wrote.

“I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize for this, I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize for stopping the War between India and Pakistan, I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize for stopping the War between Serbia and Kosovo.

“No, I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize no matter what I do, including Russia/Ukraine, and Israel/Iran, whatever those outcomes may be, but the people know, and that’s all that matters to me.”