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Trump on Whether He Deserves Nobel Prize: ‘Everyone Thinks So, but I Would Never Say It’

'The prize I want is victory for the world'

May 9, 2018

President Donald Trump declined to directly answer Wednesday whether he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize, instead acknowledging that others have made the claim.

Leaders, including South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.), have said Trump deserves the prize if negotiations with North Korea lead to peace. Moon had a historic meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and credited Trump for helping the peace process along, and Trump announced Wednesday that a time and place is set for his own meeting with Kim.

"Do you deserve the Nobel Prize?" a reporter asked, presumably about the prize for peace.

"Everyone thinks so, but I would never say it," Trump replied with a smile.

"You know what I want to do? I want to get it finished. The prize I want is victory for the world," he added.

"Could something still scuttle this meeting?" the reporter asked.

"Everything can be scuttled," Trump replied. "A lot of things can happen."

Trump added that the deal has a good chance to be successful because "both sides" want to find a resolution.

"Both sides want to negotiate a deal. I think it's going to be a very successful deal," Trump said. "I think we have a really good shot at making it successful, but lots of things can happen."

Earlier Wednesday, Trump announced on Twitter that American detainees in North Korea had been released and were returning to the U.S. safe and sound. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is flying back with them after meeting with the North Koreans, and they are set to land early Thursday morning.