The Nobel Prize Committee doesn’t get it

Unanimously, it seems, Norway is recognized as a highly developed, first-world nation with one of the highest standards of living, strongest social safety nets, and largest sovereign wealth funds in the world. In spite of that reality, Donald Trump begs to differ. 

Last Sunday, at a rally in Michigan, he characterized that county as a "shithole", like he likes to name countries he abhors. 

That name-calling began in 2018 when in an Oval Office meeting on immigration, Trump contrasted nations he described as "shithole countries" with Norway, asking why the US didn't have more immigrants from places like Norway (though he had previously praised Norway's economy and trade relations). 

Perhaps he was already fishing for his coveted Nobel Prize. 

Fast forward to Sunday October 25 when suddenly Norway, the “shithole” opposite, conveniently fell into that colorful category, following the decision by the independent Norwegian Nobel Committee to award the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize to a South African jurist. 

It’s amazing how things change fast with Trump, how unpredictable the man is, and therefore how mentally troubled he must be. Someone should finally teach him what peace means, what good judgment is, and that one catches many more flies with honey than vinegar.