Eighteen House Republicans signed a letter sent to the Norwegian Nobel Committee Wednesday formally nominating President Trump for the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize.
Rep. Luke Messer (R-IN) and 17 other House members agreed to nominate Trump last week for his efforts to end the decades-long conflict between North and South Korea by attempting to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula.
Messer and his colleagues praised Trump’s strong leadership in nominating him for the award.
“President Trump’s peace through strength policies are working and bringing peace to the Korean Peninsula,” the letter reads. “We can think of no one more deserving of the Committee’s recognition in 2019 than President Trump for his tireless work to bring peace to our world.”
The letter specifically noted Trump’s efforts to impose sanctions on foreign businesses and banks doing business with North Korea to get the authoritarian nation to drop its nuclear weapons program.
“His Administration successfully united the international community, including China, to impose one of the most successful international sanctions regimes in history.”
Messer first suggested in early March that Trump should receive the honor if he convinces North Korea to disarm their nuclear weapons, and made the formal announcement last week when North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in met on their border to discuss a potential end to the Korean War.
“I’m proud to nominate President Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize,” Messer said. “The President’s strong leadership is the only reason North Korea is now coming to the table, and he deserves recognition for this unprecedented progress toward peace.”
House Freedom Caucus Chairman Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC), fellow Freedom Caucus member Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), and Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) were among the legislators who signed the letter.
The House members are not the only ones suggesting Trump should receive the prize. South Korean President Jae-in suggested Monday that Trump should have the prize.
Trump is scheduled to meet with Kim Jong-un in late May or early June to discuss denuclearization.