Cambodia’s deputy prime minister, Sun Chanthol, announced on Friday that the country will nominate United States President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. This decision comes after Trump’s direct intervention helped to halt a recent border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand.
When asked by text message to confirm the plan, Chanthol simply replied, “Yes.”
Earlier, while speaking to reporters in the capital, Phnom Penh, Chanthol praised Trump for his efforts in bringing about peace, stating that he deserved the prestigious award. The Nobel Peace Prize is the highest-profile international honor given to an individual or organization recognized for doing the most to “advance fellowship between nations.”
This is not the first such nomination for Trump. In June, Pakistan announced it would recommend him for the prize for his work in resolving a conflict with India. Last month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also stated that he had nominated Trump for the award.
According to Reuters, a phone call from Trump last week broke a stalemate in negotiations to end the most intense fighting between Thailand and Cambodia in over a decade. This led to a ceasefire that was negotiated in Malaysia on Monday. Following the truce announcement, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt posted on X, “Give him the Nobel Peace Prize!” crediting Trump with making the ceasefire happen.
The intense clashes had lasted for five days, resulting in at least 43 deaths and displacing more than 300,000 people on both sides of the border.
Chanthol, who is also Cambodia’s top trade negotiator, acknowledged Trump’s “great efforts for peace” and added that the country was also grateful for a reduced tariff rate of 19%. He told Reuters in an interview earlier on Friday that Washington had initially threatened a tariff of 49%, which was later lowered to 36%. That level would have been devastating for Cambodia’s crucial garment and footwear sector.
