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In today's issue:

▪ Venezuelan opposition leader wins Nobel

▪ Letitia James indicted

▪ Fetterman in tough spot with Dems

▪ Colombian president quarrels with White House

President Trump has had his name emblazoned on skyscrapers, received multiple Person of the Year distinctions and been gifted everything from Olympic medals to gold-plated golf clubs from foreign leaders.

But one honor still eludes him: the Nobel Peace Prize.

This year's award has gone to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, the panel overseeing the prize announced Friday, despite a months-long and very public campaign by Trump for the prize.

Jørgen Watne Frydnes, the chair of the five-person Norwegian Nobel Committee, defended the decision when asked directly about Trump. He said the committee often sees campaigns and thousands of letters per year advocating for particular contenders, adding the panel's decisions are solely based on "the work and will of Alfred Nobel."

The Nobel chair called Machado "one of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage" in Latin America recently who has "inspired millions" with her decision to stay in Venezuela despite threats to her life.

Frydnes said Machado won the award for her work fighting for democracy in her country and efforts to achieve a "just and peaceful transition" away from dictatorship.

Machado has been a key leader in opposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, who has increasingly cracked down on democratic norms like free and fair elections and freedom of the press.

She revealed last year that she had gone into hiding as she feared for her life. Machado was briefly detained when she made another public appearance in January, but was later released.

Frydnes said Machado has stood up for free and fair elections, spoken out for judicial independence and human rights and spent years working for the "freedom of the Venezuelan people."

"At a time when democracy is under threat, it is more important than ever to defend this common ground," he said.

Trump regularly spoke about why he believed he should get this year's prize. As recently as Thursday, he touted his push to broker a peace deal between Israel and Hamas to stop the two-year conflict in Gaza.

His announcement of an agreement on the first phase of a deal finished by declaring: "BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS." The White House labeled him "the peace president."

But he also argued earlier this year that his efforts would come up short in the eyes of the judging committee. “No, I won't get a Nobel Peace Prize no matter what I do," he said in June.

Trump’s interest in winning the award goes back years, at least to 2018, during his first term. His comment that year came as he sought to make an agreement with North Korea.

“Everyone thinks so, but I would never say it,” Trump said in response to a reporter’s question about whether he deserved the award.

He also went after former President Obama’s 2009 win as unfair on multiple occasions. Some raised questions at the time about Obama winning the award after such a short time in office at that point.

Still, the frequency and seriousness of Trump’s discussions about winning the prize himself picked up significantly in his second term. He regularly brought it up both in public and in private, including during his address to the United Nations General Assembly last month when he spoke about ending "seven un-endable wars."

Demonstrating the award's importance to him, numerous allies spoke out on why they thought Trump should get it, including Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.

Despite his public lobbying, Trump faced hurdles to winning the award this year. Nominations were due in January, and the committee generally considers conduct over the previous year — before Trump returned to office.

There were 338 nominees for this year’s prize, including 244 individuals and 94 organizations. The shortlist, which the committee forms as it gets closer to making a selection, narrows the field, but a few dozen names could still remain.

The committee doesn’t publicly reveal the names of those nominated or on the short-list for 50 years after the award is given.

ISRAEL CEASEFIRE BEGINS: The Israeli military said Friday a ceasefire has begun in Gaza after the country's government formally approved the first phase of Trump's peace plan.

The first step of the deal will have Israel withdrawing from the majority of Gaza. Once that is complete, Hamas will have 72 hours to return the remaining living hostages.

Trump has said he expects the hostages to be released Monday or Tuesday. Hamas is also responsible for returning the bodies of those who have died, but it has said this will take more time.

Israel is set to release about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners as the hostages are freed.

The deal will also see additional aid flow into Gaza to assist the Palestinian people.

Trump is traveling to the Middle East this weekend and is set to address Israel's Knesset on Sunday.

A U.S. said Thursday that roughly 200 American military personnel will be in Israel helping oversee implementation of the ceasefire.

Israel and Hamas have both agreed to at least the first phase of Trump’s 20-point proposal to bring a permanent end to the war and provide for what comes next.

Trump’s moves have gotten praise from around the political spectrum, even from Democrats, though they have expressed caution as the deal is still in the early stages of being carried out.

“We’re at the earliest stages of a proposed peace plan. I want it to work. Let’s watch and see,” Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) told CNN.

▪ The Hill: Did Trump really end 7 wars?

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