In a surprising statement, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she would support a Nobel Peace Prize nomination for former President Donald Trump—if he successfully negotiates an end to the war in Ukraine without Ukraine being forced to cede territory to Russia.
Speaking on the Raging Moderates podcast, Clinton told host Jessica Tarlov that she would back the recognition if Trump could help resolve the three-year conflict in a way that holds Russian President Vladimir Putin accountable.
“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,” Clinton said.
The comments come as Trump travels to Alaska for what could be pivotal talks with the Russian leader, aimed at ending the ongoing conflict. Trump has expressed confidence in a potential deal, suggesting the likelihood of failure is only 25%.
Clinton’s remarks are notable given her history of sharp criticism toward Trump, especially during the contentious 2016 presidential campaign in which he defeated her. During that race, she frequently questioned his temperament and accused him of being too close to authoritarian figures like Putin.
“He praises dictators like Vladimir Putin and picks fights with our friends,” Clinton said at the time. She also famously described many of Trump’s supporters as a “basket of deplorables.”
Still, her recent statement suggests that even longstanding political rivalries could take a back seat if genuine progress is made toward peace in Ukraine.
