Hegseth Suggests U.S. Military Should Receive Nobel Peace Prize Annually

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently proposed that the U.S. military should be the perpetual recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. Hegseth, speaking to Reserve Officers’ Training Corps cadets and military recruits at the University of Tennessee, advocated for the military to win the award every year, citing "peace through strength."

This sentiment echoes a video Hegseth narrated in 2019 for PragerU, where he argued that the U.S. military, comprising the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marines, is the most deserving entity for a peace prize. He posited that American freedom and global peace are ultimately secured by the actions of the U.S. military.

"Because you’re actually in the peacemaking business," Hegseth stated during his address. "I once made a video that said if there’s one entity that should win the Nobel Peace Prize every single year, it should actually be the United States military. Peace through strength."

During that 2019 video, Hegseth detailed various U.S. military interventions globally, asserting that the U.S. military acts as a "global sheriff" that maintains peace. He noted that the Nobel committee often overlooks this role when awarding the prize.

Hegseth, whose title was changed to Secretary of War via a Trump executive order, previously expressed similar views in April. Responding to a question about potentially renaming the Department of Defense to the Department of Peace, Hegseth stated that the department moved from "Defense" to "War" to emphasize a proactive approach to "peace through strength." He reiterated that the U.S. military guarantees the safety and security of both the nation and many others worldwide.