In an interview conducted moments before it was officially announced that he would be honored, President Donald J. Trump firmly responded to questions about the newly created FIFA Peace Prize, highlighting the achievements of his administration in matters of international security. Although he had not yet received official notification, Trump made it clear that his focus was not on recognition but on results. “I’ve resolved eight wars, and we have a ninth on the way,” he stated, emphasizing that his priority is “saving lives, not winning awards.”
The president also took the opportunity to contrast the country’s current state with the one he inherited upon arriving at the White House. According to Trump, a year ago the United States was “a dead country,” weakened in its global position and with international leadership in decline. Today, he said, the nation has transformed into “the strongest country anywhere in the world,” thanks to a foreign policy built on strategic pressure, pragmatic agreements, and the restoration of international respect lost under previous administrations.
When the interviewer raised criticism from those who question the coherence between receiving a peace prize and his firm stance toward Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, Trump was blunt. He explained that maintaining peace does not mean weakness but rather acting decisively when hemispheric security is at risk. Defending the freedom of the Venezuelan people, he said, does not contradict the pursuit of global stability—it strengthens it. In his view, confronting dictators and ending prolonged conflicts are part of the same mission: protecting innocent lives and ensuring a safer world.
Throughout the conversation, Trump stressed that his actions are not aimed at pleasing the international press or his habitual critics, but at achieving concrete results. He argued that the eight wars resolved during his administration represent historic progress unmatched by any modern presidency. For him, true peace is achieved by making difficult—even unpopular—decisions that ultimately save lives and prevent larger catastrophes.
Even before the award ceremony, the narrative was clear: Trump saw this recognition as a logical consequence of his policies, not as an objective in itself. He reiterated that millions of lives have been saved thanks to U.S. intervention and that the nation’s strength is the central pillar that enables that mission. Under his leadership, he said, the United States has not only regained its power but also its ability to change the trajectory of conflicts that had remained unsolved for decades.
The exchange concluded with a president who appeared confident, determined, and focused on his mission, beyond political pressure or controversy. With or without the award—as he noted—his responsibility was to save lives and keep the United States at the top of the global stage. Hours later, he would officially receive the prize. But in the interview beforehand, Trump made it clear that for him, the real reward is leading a strong, respected country capable of making a difference in the world.
