Cambodia to nominate Trump for Peace Prize after border truce

International

“YES.”

That was the one-word confirmation from Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol when asked if his country intends to nominate former U.S. President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.

The decision, announced Friday, follows Trump’s direct involvement in ending a deadly border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand—one of the worst flare-ups in the region in more than a decade.

Chanthol credited a phone call made by Trump last week with breaking a diplomatic deadlock and helping to secure a ceasefire, finalized during negotiations in Malaysia on Monday.

“We acknowledge his great efforts for peace,” said Chanthol, who also serves as Cambodia’s chief trade negotiator, in a Reuters report.

The recent clashes, which lasted five days, resulted in at least 43 deaths and forced more than 300,000 people from their homes on both sides of the border. The violence had threatened to spiral further before Trump’s reported intervention helped both nations return to the negotiating table.

In a post on X following the truce, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt wrote, “Give him the Nobel Peace Prize!” highlighting the administration’s view of Trump’s role in facilitating the agreement.

Cambodia’s move adds to a growing number of endorsements for Trump’s Nobel Peace Prize nomination. In June, Pakistan stated it would support a nomination for his involvement in easing tensions with India, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last month he had already submitted one.

Chanthol also pointed to recent trade negotiations with Washington as another area where Cambodia benefited from Trump’s diplomacy. The United States had initially threatened to impose tariffs of up to 49% on Cambodian exports, a move that could have devastated the country’s critical garment and footwear sector. Those tariffs were eventually reduced to 36%, and later to 19%.

Chanthol emphasized Cambodia’s appreciation for the tariff relief, noting that it came at a time of heightened economic and regional instability.(MyTVCebu)