French President Emmanuel Macron said US President Donald Trump could only secure the Nobel Peace Prize if he succeeded in ending the ongoing war on Gaza.

Speaking to BFMTV from the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Macron said, "There is only one person who could do something in the current situation, the American president."

Macron noted that Trump had expressed determination during his address to the General Assembly, declaring, "I want peace, I will solve this conflict." According to Macron, Trump’s Nobel ambitions would only materialize if he pressed "Israel" to halt its genocidal war on Gaza and work toward the release of captives held by Palestinian Resistance groups.

On Monday, Macron announced France's recognition of a Palestinian state at the General Assembly, a move that sparked strong opposition from both Trump and "Israel". Despite this, Macron admitted that the US remains in a stronger position to pressure "Israel" due to its military and political ties.

"We do not deliver arms that allow the Gaza conflict to be waged," Macron explained, underlining the limits of French influence compared to Washington. He also acknowledged that a sovereign Palestinian state would only come into being "the day the State of Israel recognizes it."

Trump’s Nobel Peace Prize campaign

Trump’s pursuit of the Nobel Peace Prize has been one of the most publicized campaigns by a US president. Central to his case are the normalization agreements between "Israel" and several Arab states, including the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco, in 2020.

Supporters argue these deals represent historic breakthroughs in West Asia diplomacy. However, critics counter that the accords sidestepped the Palestinian cause, as the countries involved were never in direct conflict with "Israel".

Despite skepticism, Trump has received multiple formal nominations. In 2025, leaders from Pakistan, Cambodia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo endorsed his candidacy, citing his involvement in ceasefire negotiations. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also formally nominated him, praising what he described as Trump's "extraordinary and historic role" in global diplomacy.

Washington's leverage

Macron emphasized that only Washington has the means to shift the dynamics in Gaza. While France's symbolic recognition of Palestine angered "Israel", the US remains its key military supplier and strategic ally.

That dependence, Macron suggested, gives Trump, if he chooses to act, a unique opportunity to press for a ceasefire and potentially secure both peace in Gaza and the Nobel Prize he covets.

Meanwhile, Paris is bracing for possible retaliatory measures from "Israel". These could include the closure of the French consulate in al-Quds, which serves Palestinians extensively, or even the "annexation" of more land in the occupied West Bank.

"We are ready. We have planned for all possible options, which means we will never remain inert. We just plan things and we will always defend France’s interests," Macron said, without providing further details.