Trump’s 'nomination' to Nobel Peace Prize probably 'fraudulent'; being probed

Many would have been surprised when word did the rounds that US President Donald was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. But that seems to have been short-lived, as it turned out to be potentially fraudulent, in any way not emanating from quarters acceptable to the Norwegian committee, as reported by news agencies.

The Norwegian committee has filed a report with police over its concerns. The nomination received was said to mention "ideology of peace by force" as the grounds for nomination by an anonymous American.

The director of the Nobel Institute said there were concerns that Mr Trump's nomination may have been falsified. "I can say that we have good reason to believe that [the nomination of Mr Trump] is a fake," Nobel Institute Director Olav Njølstad told Norwegian broadcaster NRK.

He also recalled that "the same 'fake' nomination probably took place last year too". Nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize must be submitted by 31 January each year; the winner will be announced in early October.

The process for nominating candidates is highly restricted.

Those who are entitled to propose candidates for the prize include members of parliament and government, former laureates and some university professors.

In 2009, only a year into his term of office, US President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize for "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples".

The information about the 'fake' nomination was disclosed by Prio (Peace Research Institute of Oslo), a body independent of the Nobel organization which closely monitors the nominations revealed publicly.

In 2012, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the European Union for transforming Europe "from a continent of war to a continent of peace".

The 2017 edition of the prize was won by the anti-nuclear weapons group International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. As for the 2018 Peace Prize, the Nobel Institute has received 329 valid nominations.

The five members of the Nobel committee that selects the winner are also allowed to submit names during their first meeting of the year, which was held on Monday. While the list of candidates is kept secret for at least 50 years, those who nominate are however allowed to disclose their choice.