When Applause Shapes Diplomacy: Trump’s Quest for a Nobel Peace Prize
When we study international relations, it becomes clear that personality can shape foreign policy in profound ways. Donald J Trump is a prime example of this phenomenon. His second term in the White House has once again demonstrated how his personal traits, especially his constant need for recognition, are tightly bound to his foreign policy actions. For Trump symbolic prizes and public validation are not peripheral but central to his sense of success. The Nobel Peace Prize has been a recurring theme in his rhetoric, and his actions abroad reflect a continuing pursuit of dramatic gestures that would elevate him into history. From a psychological standpoint this is consistent with leaders who display high narcissism, high extraversion, and low agreeableness. They crave attention, are extremely sensitive to perceived slights, and sometimes take risks that others would avoid.