In a surprising twist in US political discourse, Hillary Clinton, former Democratic presidential nominee and Donald Trump’s 2016 rival, said she would nominate Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize if he succeeds in ending the war in Ukraine without forcing the country to cede territory to Russia. The remarks were reported by The New York Times.
Clinton sets surprise condition on Nobel Prize for Trump
Clinton shared her perspective during an appearance on the “Raging Moderates” podcast, telling host Jessica Tarlov, “Honestly, if he could bring about the end to this terrible war, if he could end it without putting Ukraine in a position where it had to concede its territory to the aggressor, could really stand up to Putin, something we haven’t seen, but maybe this is the opportunity. If President Trump were the architect of that, I’d nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize.”
She added, “Because my goal here is to not allow capitulation to Putin.”
The statement comes as Trump traveled to Alaska for historic talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, aimed at resolving the three-year conflict in Ukraine. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump expressed optimism about the meeting, saying he believes Putin wants a deal and estimating the chance of failure at just 25 percent.
Trump Responds to Clinton’s Praise
Trump and Clinton share a long history of political rivalry. In the 2016 presidential campaign, Clinton labeled his supporters a “basket of deplorables” and called Trump “not just unprepared—he’s temperamentally unfit” to serve as president. She also criticized his past praise of Putin, well before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Reacting to Clinton’s latest comments, Trump told American journalist Bret Baier that he might “have to start liking” his former rival again. “Well, that was very nice,” he said aboard Air Force One when asked about Clinton’s willingness to nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize if he successfully brokers a deal between Russia and Ukraine.
.@BretBaier: Hillary Clinton says if you can get a peace deal, she’ll nominate you for the Nobel Peace Prize…@POTUS: “I may have to start liking her again.” 😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/B91ZXJGqfc
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 15, 2025
Trump-Putin Talks Underway in Alaska
As Clinton made her remarks, Trump met with Putin at a Cold War-era airbase in Alaska for what could be a landmark diplomatic effort. Addressing reporters before the meeting, Trump expressed urgency, declaring he wanted a ceasefire “today” and promising he “won’t be happy” with anything less.
After more than two hours of talks at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska, Vladimir Putin described his meeting with Donald Trump as “constructive and mutually respectful,” saying the discussions laid groundwork for peace in Ukraine. He urged Kyiv and European leaders to support the process and warned against provocations that could derail progress.
Trump confirmed the talks were “extremely productive” and that several points of agreement were reached, including one “very significant” issue. However, he stressed that “there’s no deal until there’s a deal” and said he would consult Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders before moving forward.
