Updated May 3, 2018

Trump’s new quest: A Nobel may prove irresistible

Jonathan Swan

Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The idea of winning a Nobel Peace Prize for progress with North Korea may prove irresistible to President Trump.

What we're hearing: While Trump has privately ridiculed President Obama for receiving a Nobel too soon, Trump is intrigued by the idea of winning one himself, according to sources familiar with his thinking.

  • Trump responded with delight when the crowd at a Michigan rally last weekend began chanting “No-bel! No-bel!” Trump replied: "Nobel!"
  • Then on Monday, South Korean President Moon Jae-in shook off the suggestion that he should get the prize by saying that Trump can take it.

Consider the big picture: Elites will never fully accept Trump, and he never stops his quest to prove them wrong.

  • A Nobel would give him perhaps even greater bragging rights than the presidency.
  • So is he really willing to do anything too disruptive with China on trade, that might get in the way of the North Korean prize and the history books?

But, but, but: Would the Europeans let Trump win the Nobel Peace Prize if he extinguishes the Iran deal this month?

  • And the WashPost noted: "The mere mention of Trump — the man who dubbed Kim 'Little Rocket Man,' boasted about his larger nuclear button and promised to unleash on North Korea 'fire and fury like the world has never seen' — as a Nobel peacemaker may seem, to many, incongruous."

P.S. A group of House Republicans is lobbying for a Nobel for Trump because of his work on North Korea, AP's Kevin Freking reports:

  • "Rep. Luke Messer, R-Ind., made the suggestion in a letter ... sent to members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee. It was signed by 18 Republicans."

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  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 5 p.m. ET: 657,691 — Total deaths: 30,438 — Total recoveries: 139,263.
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  3. Federal government latest: President Trump is considering a quarantine on New York, parts of New Jersey and Connecticut. He signed a $2 trillion stimulus bill to give businesses and U.S. workers financial relief.
  4. State updates: Alaska is latest state to issue a stay-at-home order — New York is trying to nearly triple its hospital capacity in less than a month and has moved its presidential primary to June 23. Some Midwestern swing voters that supported Trump's handling of the virus less than two weeks ago are now balking at his call for the U.S. to be "opened up" by Easter.
  5. World updates: In Spain, over 1,400 people were confirmed dead between Thursday to Saturday.
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