Trump Earned Nobel Peace Prize Consideration [OPINION]

President Donald J. Trump has not one but two nominations for the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize. And unlike his predecessor, Barack Obama, Trump has actually done something to earn them.

Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 after serving very little time in office. The Norwegian Nobel Committee honored Obama for "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples."

In a statement dated October 9, 2009, the committee declared, "Obama has as president created a new climate in international politics. Multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the United Nations and other international institutions can play."

In other words, he promised to be a good globalist.

The Associated Press reported in 2015 that former Nobel secretary Geir Lundestad wrote in his memoirs that the award to Obama was a mistake.

President Trump was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Christian Tybring-Gjedde, a member of the Norwegian Parliament, for his work in brokering a peace deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. Since then, the Trump Administration orchestrated a similar deal with Israel and Bahrain. The agreements, known as the Abraham Accords, were recently signed during a ceremony at the White House.

Magnus Jacobsson, a member of the Swedish Parliament, has also nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. Jacobsson cites the peace deal brokered by the administration between Serbia and Kosovo.

Trump's foreign policy style has been criticized by some as non-traditional and potentially dangerous. He has netted results. Tensions between the United States and North Korea have de-escalated under Trump. Peace talks are underway that would result in the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and plans have been announced for a 42 percent drawdown of troops from Iraq.

You may think that Obama was worthy of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. The experts and I disagree and I would be happy to listen to your defense of the award. The evidence is clear that Trump has a track record that makes him deserving of recognition by the Nobel Committee. Prove me wrong.

Barry Richard is the host of The Barry Richard Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. Contact him at barry@wbsm.com and follow him on Twitter @BarryJRichard58. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.