Suggestions that Donald Trump should win the Nobel Peace Prize have been blasted as “absolutely comical” after a nomination from Israel. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the US president “deserves” the award, claiming he’s “achieved more than those who’ve won before”. Her post on X is in reference to a USA Today op-ed arguing the same thing.

The opinion piece by columnist Nicole Russell argues that the Republican should get the prestigious awared for “stopping the worst state sponsor of terrorism from acquiring nuclear weapons and then ending a war in the Middle East”. Critics were quick to slam Ms Leavitt’s suggesting, calling it “absolutely comical” and “delusional and absurd”. Conservative journalist Cassandra Fairbanks responded: “Its absolutely comical to suggest he deserves a peace prize after bombing another nation and making us pay for the massacre Israel is undertaking.

“Obama didnt deserve it and neither does he. This admin has lost its collective mind.”

Conservative attorney and commentator Sean Ross Callaghan added: “Honey, I voted for him more times than you probably did—and this is delusional and absurd.”

Benjamin Netanyahu also nominated Mr Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize earlier this week. He made the announcement during a White House dinner, showing the president the official letter.

The Israeli prime minister said Mr Trump was “forging peace as we speak, and one country and one region after the other”. The US president responded: “Coming from you in particular, this is very meaningful.”

The prize is awarded for the person who does the most for “fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses”.

Mr Trump took credit for brokering the ceasefire that stopped Iran and Israel’s 12-day conflict last month.

He claimed US strikes wiped out Tehran’s nuclear weapons programme and forced them back to the negotiating table. He said this week: “We have scheduled Iran talks, and they want to. They want to talk.”