On Friday night, the Norwegian Nobel Committee chose to honour Maria Corina Machado, the opposition leader in Venezuela, for “her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy”. It’s an acknowledgment of the broader work being done around the world to defend the ideal of democracy against rising authoritarianism.

Donald Trump has long wanted that prize. His obsession with the Nobel Peace Prize has spanned more than a decade, a fixation born of the belief that global prestige belongs to him simply because he commands attention. His obsession has been so clear that countries looking to earn his favour have made a show of nominating him, as Pakistan and Cambodia did in recent months. To him, the Nobel is the grandest symbol of validation — proof the showman has become the statesman.

A man wearing a mask resembling US President Donald Trump holds a sign designed like a Nobel Peace Prize medal at a rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday.Credit: AP

Now, as Trump inserts himself into the ceasefire talks over Gaza, it’s worth asking what is driving his foreign policy. He is, after all, the president of the United States, and no longer just a steak salesman. But it’s clear he is not interested in solving the world’s challenges to achieve peace. His calculus has always been about power.

While many world leaders use warmth and predictability as bargaining chips, Trump has taken the opposite approach. He leverages his own unpredictability as a way to keep the other side off balance. It’s a hallmark tactic — a sort of Sun Tzu for grift.

The last few weeks have seen a surge in Trump’s diplomatic activity, this time focused on Israel and Gaza........

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