Ahead of his meeting with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, a small group of House Republicans have nominated Donald Trump for a 2019 Nobel Peace Prize.
Led by Indiana Congressman Luke Messer, the group of 18 sent a letter to the Nobel committee in Norway arguing Trump should “receive the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his work to end the Korean War, denuclearize the Korean peninsula and bring peace to the region.”
The letter concludes, “We can think of no one more deserving of the Committee’s recognition in 2019 than President Trump for his tireless work to bring peace to our world.”
Trump has engaged in harsh rhetoric toward North Korea’s leader since taking office, threatening to rain “fire and fury” on the nation if it didn’t stop testing weapons. Despite the tough talk, South Korean president Moon Jae-in has worked to bridge the gap between the two unpredictable leaders, which will culminate in an unprecedented meeting between Trump and Un this year.
Denuclearizing North Korea would be a huge step toward peace, but many are wondering if Messer’s reasons for nominating Trump are political. The Congressman is in a tough re-election fight, and may have excluded one of his opponents from signing on to the letter praising Trump. As CNN notes, “Noticeably absent from the letter is one of Messer’s primary opponents in Indiana, Rep. Todd Rokita. Former state Rep. Mike Braun is also seeking the Republican nomination to challenge incumbent Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly in what is considered one of the most competitive races in the country.”
As global leaders continue to wait and see if North Korea will stop its nuclear weapons program, it still may not be enough to make the world safer. Trump has been critical of the deal former President Barack Obama struck with Iran to end their nuclear enrichment scheme and has signaled that he’ll be pulling out of the agreement soon, despite objects from allies abroad.
