John Legend has hit out at Donald Trump over the latter’s failed attempt to win a Novel Peace Prize.
The US president shared his ambitions to take home the prestige award following his peace deal between Israel and Gaza, but lost out to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.
In response to the bid, singer-songwriter John Legend shared a video online, hitting out at Trump and offering some words of advice if he wanted to try and receive the honour again in 2026.
Taking to Instagram, Legend shared a video titled “Trump for Peace Prize 2026!” on Instagram, and shared how he should be making peace across the US if he wants to succeed in getting the Nobel Peace Prize.
“We all want to see peace in Gaza, in the West Bank. And President Trump has been instrumental in bringing about this new peace deal,” he began (via Daily Mail). “’Let’s all pray that this deal is actually lasting, that it’s long-term. The people of Gaza have had their lives and their communities destroyed for the past two years.
“If this peace is really lasting, we just might see Donald Trump get that peace prize that he really, really wants.”
“’If Trump is able to actually earn the peace prize, it probably won’t be enough that he’s helped bring peace to the Middle East […] Let’s look at what else he would have to do.”
He went on to call out the president for “sending Black Hawk helicopters to terrorise people while they sleep” in Chicago, and added that he would “also have to stop declaring war on the American people”.
“Stop sending the military into our cities simply because they’re run by Democrats,” Legend added. “Stop sending masked, unaccountable ICE agents to torment immigrant communities. Stop ordering the prosecution of his political opponents on flimsy charges […] stop bombing boats in the Caribbean, stop executing people without proving that they’ve done anything wrong.
“He’d have to stop all this authoritarian, dictator shit, all the fascist shit, all the inhumane shit he’s been trying to do.”
Legend has been a vocal opponent of Trump in the past too. Back in 2020 he called out rappers who were supporting his presidential campaign, and performed a number of songs for a performance at a Joe Biden rally.
“Some people see the meanness, the bullying, the selfishness of Donald Trump and they mistake it for strength, a kind of twisted masculinity,” Legend said, addressing the crowd from behind his piano. “Some see his greed and they mistake it for being good at business.”
The singer has performed at the Nobel ceremony before, taking to the stage at the event in 2017.