Navi Pillay jokes when reacting to winning the Nobel Peace Prize.
She was elected to Venezuela’s National Assembly in 2010 but was removed from office in 2014. Ahead of the 2024 presidential election, she won the opposition primary but was barred from contesting.
She subsequently backed Edmundo González Urrutia, whose supporters published voting records they said showed he had defeated President Nicolás Maduro. The Nobel Committee said her work demonstrated the importance of international law in resolving conflicts peacefully, holding powerful states and individuals accountable, and protecting victims. Earlier reporting noted: Pillay said that her first reaction to hearing the news was that it must be a joke. Pillay said that her first reaction to hearing the news was that it must be a joke. Earlier reporting noted: South African champion of international law Navi Pillay, who was awarded this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, joked that she might “share the prize” with US President Donald Trump if people kept applauding her. Earlier reporting noted: “If you clap a little bit more I may share this prize with Trump,” Pillay said in a video posted to X by the Secretary General of Amnesty International, which showed Pillay being applauded in Nuremberg after the announcement of the award.
Maduro’s government claimed victory and intensified its crackdown on opponents. It also highlighted concerns about the weakening of international legal institutions and the growing influence of power politics over the rule of law.
Navi Pillay, the South African jurist who won the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize , joked about sharing the honour with US President Donald Trump while reacting to the announcement, bringing renewed attention to the Republican leader’s deep desire to receive the prestigious award.
“If you clap a little bit more I may share this prize with Trump,” Pillay said in Nuremberg after being applauded following news of her win. After Machado indicated that she wanted to give him the award, Trump told Fox News that accepting it would be a “great honour”. The White House also said he deserved the Nobel Peace Prize “many times over” after the award’s organisers ruled that it could not be transferred to another person.
She was recognised for her efforts to promote peace and international law by ensuring that war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide are prosecuted.