A Nobel Prize is just one more Trump delusion
Whitestone: Venezuela’s “Iron Lady,” María Corina Machado, in hiding from the authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro, won the Nobel Peace Prize for her heroic efforts to advance democracy in Venezuela. President Trump, whose every effort and action is to destroy democracy in the United States, says he deserved the prize for ending seven wars and disputes in nations and bringing peace to those places. No serious student of history or current events believes Trump has really solved anything.
Trump’s demand for the peace prize would be hysterically funny if he wasn’t the most powerful leader in the world and, without hyperbole, is a racist, a misogynist and a xenophobe, as well as a man who desperately wants to hide the identity of the villains who collaborated with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell in their participation and promotion of pedophelia and sexual abuse of women.
I can see a comparison between Trump’s presidency and Woody Allen’s portrayal of Fielding Mellish, who became the dictator of San Marcos in the movie “Bananas.” I can also see a comparison between Trump’s presidency and Groucho Marx’s portrayal of Rufus T. Firefly, the dictator of Freedonia, in the movie “Duck Soup.”
Trump is a pathetic, narcissistic would-be dictator, and history will have a hard time explaining how such an insecure charlatan rose to become the most powerful leader on Earth. It says a lot about the ignorance and downright stupidity of so many American voters. Michael J. Gorman
Freedom fighter
Ridgewood, N.J.: Venezuela’s Machado, the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, is now the global Joan of Arc, a symbol of risking her life for democracy. May her courage be contagious for those who oppose tyranny. Ed Houlihan
Maybe next year
Glasgow: Trump is obviously upset and disappointed about not winning the Nobel Peace Prize. You have another year, President Trump, to add to your resumé — I believe the number is up to 10 — of wars you have personally ended, including the decades-long border dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Hopefully, the military conflicts you have personally started in the American cities of Portland and Chicago will be added to the growing number of wars you have personally ended. William Ina Kay
Contrary to its purpose
Richmond Hill: Trump is furious that he did not win the Nobel Prize and claims the award committee placed “politics over peace.” According to Alfred Nobel’s will, the prize should be awarded to the person or organization that has done the most to advance one of three main areas during the previous year: brotherhood between nations, fostering cooperation and unity between countries; disarmament, working for the abolition or reduction of standing armies; and peace congresses, holding and promoting efforts to achieve peace. In modern times, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has expanded the scope to include efforts in arms control and disarmament, peace negotiation, democracy and human rights, and work aimed at creating a more peaceful world. Trump doesn’t meet any of these criteria. He challenges democratic policies, targets his political rivals and fires those who oppose him and sends troops into our Democratic states/cities because they did not support him in elections. Ene Kelly
Falls short
Brooklyn: Trump clearly deserves praise for arranging the release of the Israeli hostages. However, he definitely does not deserve the Nobel Prize. All his actions must be considered in evaluating whether he is worthy. When he was campaigning for the presidency, he promised that he would have no problem ending the war in Ukraine, especially since he has a wonderful relationship with Vladimir Putin. However, the war is still going on, and Russia is increasing its attacks and ignoring Trump. If he really wants the prize, he must demonstrate that he is a mature man who really believes in peace. However, his conduct is the opposite. This spoiled son of a very rich father who gave him advantages available to very few people refuses to act as president of the whole country. He is only concerned with the rich and famous. Alan Podhaizer
Pushing for peace in vain
Manhattan: Trump wanted it. Machado got it. Jewish Voice for Peace and like-minded organizations and individuals here, in Israel and around the world deserved it. The Gaza genocide, if it has for now ended, will have stopped not for peace but for politics, just like Vietnam a half-century ago. There is still some power in protest. If the leaders of Israel and the United States had any concerns for humanity, the outrageous response to Oct. 7 would have stopped as quickly as it had begun. The “existential threat” was like the nonexistent weapons of mass destruction, justifying the slaughter of innocents to prevent an imagined danger that Hamas failed to replicate in two years of destruction. Michele P. Brown
Fix what we funded
Bedford, N.Y.: Re your cover story on the Palestinians’ return to their homes (“Long road back,” Oct. 11): Maybe the $4 billion a year that Israel gets for weapons and armaments for “self-defense” can now be used instead to help Palestinians rebuild their homes. Celine Secada
Never wrote that
Manhattan: The Voice of the People published my letter to the editor in which I challenged Andrew Cuomo to condemn Israel’s war crimes in Gaza. Somehow, Voicer Libby Gurgis interpreted my letter as an approval of Zohran Mamdani’s failure to condemn the phrase “Globalize the Intifada.” I challenge Gurgis to reread my letter. Perhaps she can have a person better schooled in English comprehension than she to help her decipher it. Or she can use ChatGPT or another AI site to analyze it for her. If she finds a single word indicating that I accept Mamdani’s attitude towards that phrase, please write to The News and point it out. If not, please write to The News and apologize for intentionally distorting the meaning of my letter. Steven Davies
This must be challenged
Manhattan: The cruel GOP plan to slash billionaires’ taxes — again – while gutting health care will lead to deaths and suffering, all so the 1% can increase their wealth. The Gilded Age pales in comparison to the record-breaking wealth gap we’re experiencing. Sen. Chuck Schumer wasn’t exaggerating when he called the shutdown a “manufactured crisis designed to reward donors and punish ordinary Americans.” Schumer keeps the Senate in session to defend health care and fight illegal spending cuts. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries is exposing the GOP’s efforts to block a new Democrat’s swearing-in just to prevent a vote to release the Epstein files! Meanwhile, the Trump regime’s pay-to-play, blatant authoritarian machinations continue. Commit fraud? No problem, just cut a campaign check. Take a bag of cash on video? Fuhgeddaboudit. The DOJ will bury it. Disagree with an attorney general? Indict her. Bravo, Jeffries and Schumer. Stand firm, expose the corruption and take back our country. Laura Daigen-Ayala
Underling under the bus
Massapequa Park, L.I.: Does Pam Bondi know that Richard Nixon didn’t go to jail, but his attorney general did? Frank Mullahey
Former freedom
Patchogue, L.I.: I guess we know how things stand after the Jimmy Kimmel incident. Free speech for the Republicans and their MAGA supporters and censorship for the rest of us. I guess it’s time to tear up the Constitution and start getting used to living under a dictatorship. It was a great experiment while it lasted. Our Founding Fathers must be spinning in their graves. Lynda Welsh
Latest version
Bronx: Many of the old-timers remember the catchphrase used by Lucky Strike cigarettes, LSMFT: Lucky Strike Means Fine Tobacco. My brothers in the Deep South, under Georgia Gov. Herman Talmadge, said that LSMFT stood for “Lord Save Me From Talmadge.” Let’s put it back out there, with a new relevance: “Lord Save Me From Trump.” Robert Adams
Christlike candidates
Itasca, Ill.: Consider three diverse and highly devoted Christians: former President Jimmy Carter, former Vice President Mike Pence and the late Charlie Kirk. I hear we need to be more tolerant of each other’s views. So if you’re a Christian, which of these men, if any, do you think God would consider most representative of his teachings? That seems like a fair question. Jim Newton
