Dear Donald Trump,
You still want that Nobel Peace Prize, don’t you? You think you deserve it, right? Even as you send the world’s largest warship toward Venezuela, talk about killing drug traffickers by saying they’ll end up “like dead,” and threaten to send the National Guard into Democratic-run cities here in the U.S.
I doubt any of that is helping your Nobel chances. But I do have a suggestion that might just secure you the prestigious peace prize you clearly want by 2026.
It’s very simple: convince Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to release 66-year-old Marwan Barghouti from prison.
You remember Barghouti, don’t you? You told Time magazine earlier this month that his case was brought to you just 15 minutes before your interview, that it was the “question of the day,” and that you’d be making a decision soon.
You also told Time that the Palestinians “don’t have a leader right now, at least a visible leader… because every one of those leaders has been shot and killed.”
For once, we agree! But Mr. President, I hope you realize that Barghouti is that leader. In the 1990s, the New York Times described him as one of the “young, charismatic, and energetic” members of the Palestinian Legislative Council. Today, he has support across the Palestinian political spectrum, from Fatah to Hamas, which has repeatedly tried—and failed—to include him in prisoner swaps with Israel. He is by far the most popular Palestinian leader alive. Opinion polls—and I know you follow them closely—consistently show that if he were free, Barghouti would beat all his rivals in hypothetical presidential races. In June 2024, he was even trouncing then-Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in a head-to-head matchup. Remember, Israel assassinated Haniyeh, Hamas’s chief negotiator, in Tehran the next month.
If you want a unifying Palestinian leader with the stature and credibility to negotiate a real peace deal with Israel for all of historic Palestine, not just a ceasefire in Gaza, Barghouti is your man. In 2002, before his imprisonment, he wrote in the Washington Post that he “recognized Israel on 78% of historic Palestine,” strongly opposed “the targeting of civilians inside Israel,” and did not seek to “destroy Israel” but wanted “peaceful coexistence between the equal and independent countries of Israel and Palestine.”
Isn’t that the kind of Palestinian leader you and the U.S. government could support? Isn’t that the partner Israel has long claimed to want?
Of course, the Israeli government will tell you Barghouti can’t be released because he’s a terrorist, serving five life sentences for the murders of five Israeli civilians during the second Intifada. Don’t listen to them. An international observer sent to his 2004 trial by the Governing Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union concluded in his report: “The numerous breaches of international law recalled in this report make it impossible to conclude that Mr. Barghouti was given a fair trial.”
In fact, according to the report, only about one in five of the 100 witnesses called to testify against Barghouti could speak directly to his alleged role in the attacks—and none of them even accused him of involvement.
Mr. President, he did not receive a fair trial—and I know how strongly you feel about people who are unfairly convicted. Since January, you’ve pardoned and freed hundreds of prisoners in the U.S. whom you believed were wrongly convicted and treated unjustly.I disagree with you on those pardons and commutations, but why not also push for Barghouti’s release? Known as the “Palestinian Mandela,” he could be the key to achieving lasting Middle East peace that you claim to want.
Don’t take my word for it. Listen to Ron Lauder, the pro-Israel president of the World Jewish Congress and one of your major donors. He offered to travel to Sharm el-Sheikh this month to convince the Israeli government to include Barghouti’s release in the Gaza ceasefire deal. Unfortunately, Netanyahu rejected his effort. Lauder told Time, “A two-state solution is only possible with a strong leader, and Marwan Barghouti is the right person for that role.”
Consider Ami Ayalon, former head of Shin Bet, Israel’s FBI equivalent. He told the Guardian in January 2024 that Barghouti is “the only leader who can guide Palestinians toward a state alongside Israel,” adding, “He believes in a two-state solution and has earned his legitimacy through imprisonment.”
The Economist magazine describes him as “the world’s most important prisoner” and “the one Palestinian who could help end the conflict.”
Imagine the headlines, Mr. President, if you secured the release of “the world’s most important prisoner.” Picture crowds across the Middle East cheering your name by the tens or hundreds of thousands if his freedom indeed helps resolve the conflict. They might even start naming their sons “Donald” in honor of your achievement. You’d enjoy that, wouldn’t you?
Let me be frank, Mr. President. For the past ten years, I’ve been one of your harshest critics. I’m still doubtful about the Gaza ceasefire deal you oversaw in Egypt and troubled by your frequent use of “Palestinian” as an insult. However, if you convince (or pressure?) your friend Bibi to free Barghouti, even I would have to commend you.
You mentioned to Time that you’ll be “making a decision” on this soon. Time is not on the 66-year-old Palestinian leader’s side. His family reports he was beaten by Israeli prison guards last month during a transfer. In August, Israel’s far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, released a video of him threatening Barghouti in his cell.
If, God forbid, Barghouti were to become one of the over 70 Palestinians who have died in Israeli detention since October 2023, the chance for a solution to the Israel-Palestine issue under your leadership would vanish—along with any hope of a Nobel Prize.
Pick up the phone, Mr. President. Tell Bibi to release Barghouti. Then, perhaps, prepare for that call from Norway.
Mehdi Hasan is a broadcaster, author, former MSNBC host, Guardian US columnist, and editor-in-chief of Zeteo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of helpful and clear FAQs about the topic Dear Donald Trump heres a way you could earn that Nobel Peace Prize
General Beginner Questions
1 What is this Dear Donald Trump idea all about
Its a suggestion often presented as an open letter or proposal outlining a specific highimpact peace initiative that Donald Trump could undertake to make him a legitimate contender for the Nobel Peace Prize
2 Why would someone suggest a way for him to win a Nobel Prize
Proponents believe that a former president with his unique influence and negotiating style could potentially solve a major longstanding global conflict The suggestion aims to channel that potential toward a positive universally praised goal
3 What kind of actions are usually suggested
The most common suggestion is for him to broker a final comprehensive and lasting peace agreement between Israel and Palestine Other ideas include mediating an end to the war in Ukraine or achieving a denuclearization deal with North Korea
4 Has Donald Trump ever been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize before
Yes he has been nominated by various lawmakers in the past for his role in brokering the Abraham Accords which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab nations
Deeper Advanced Questions
5 Why is the IsraelPalestine conflict often the central suggestion
Its one of the worlds most enduring and highprofile conflicts Successfully brokering a lasting solution would be considered a historic monumental achievementexactly the kind of act the Nobel Committee traditionally recognizes
6 What are the main arguments for this idea
Supporters argue that his outsidethebox approach and willingness to break diplomatic norms could be whats needed to overcome decades of stalemate They also point to the Abraham Accords as proof of his ability to achieve diplomatic breakthroughs in the Middle East
7 What are the main criticisms or challenges
Critics argue that the deepseated issues historical grievances and complex politics on both sides make a comprehensive deal nearly impossible They also question whether his approach would be seen as impartial enough to be trusted by all parties involved
8 How does the actual Nobel Peace Prize nomination process work
Nominations can be submitted by a qualified group of people including members of national assemblies university professors and past laureates Being nominated does not mean you are
