CNN’s Jake Tapper Calls BS on Peace Prize ‘Created For’ Trump: ‘Let’s Take a Look as to the Facts Here’

CNN anchor Jake Tapper torpedoed President Donald Trump’s new “Peace Prize” — along with his claim to have “ended 8 wars” — telling viewers to “take a look as to the facts here.”

Trump was on hand on Friday for the FIFA Draw, during which FIFA President Gianni Infantino presented Trump with a brand-new honor: the “inaugural 2025 FIFA Peace Prize.”

The award drew widespread mockery from critics who posited it as an invented prize to flatter Trump.

On Monday’s edition of CNN’s The Lead, Tapper paired the “Peace Prize” wine with the cheese of Trump’s oft-repeated claim to have ended as many as nine wars — and took a carving knife to them:

TAPPER: In our World Lead, President Trump repeatedly claims that he deserves credit for ending eight year — eight wars during his first year in office, eight wars.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I can tell you I did settle eight wars and we have a ninth coming, but — which nobody’s ever done before.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Perhaps that’s why FIFA, the sports governing body that organizes global soccer events, including the World Cup, created for President Trump and presented him with the FIFA Peace Prize.

[18:35:09]

This was last week after Trump did not get the Nobel Peace Prize in October, seemingly in attempt by FIFA to flatter and curry favor with Trump. But let us dive further into President Trump’s claim that he’s already ended eight wars and is working on a ninth. Let’s take a look as to the facts here.

These are the eight wars that Trump claimed to have ended during his address to the United Nations this fall. Let’s take a look at each one of these. Start with two that are in the news today because the conflicts are continuing, number one, Cambodia and Thailand. This was a five-day armed conflict that ended with a ceasefire agreement in July. Thai and Cambodian leaders released a joint statement crediting Trump for his role in stopping the conflict. But today, Thailand launched airstrikes against Cambodia. Thailand’s army says the strikes were in retaliation for an attack that killed a Thai soldier.

The White House just responded a short while ago saying it expects both governments to fully honor their commitments to end the fighting.

No. 2, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda on Thursday, at the newly crisis in Donald J. Trump United States Institute of Peace, the president participated in a signing ceremony for a peace agreement with the leaders, the presidents of both countries. That war has continued, however, in part because Thursday’s deal was never assigned by the leading rebel coalition that’s actually doing most of the fighting. And just today, a bomb explosion killed more than 30 people in Eastern Congo.

War No. 3, Ethiopia and Egypt, this is not actually a war. It’s a long-running diplomatic dispute about a major Ethiopian dam project on the Nile. The dispute there remains unresolved. Tensions over the dam have never reached the point of actual warfare.

War No. 4, Serbia and Kosovo, this is another supposed war that didn’t actually occur during Trump’s presidency. CNN’s fact checker Daniel Dale notes, President Trump has sometimes claimed to have prevented the eruption of a new war between the countries while providing a few details about what he means exactly. But that is different than settling an actual war, of course.

No. 5, Israel and Hamas, the situation in Gaza right now is tenuous. Attacks there have continued since the October ceasefire deal. Phase two of that agreement has yet to be implemented. But, absolutely, the president and his team should be praised for the ceasefire, and we all hope it does become a real peace.

War No. 6, Israel and Iran. This too was a truly hot war, both countries launching missiles against each other for 12 days this June. President Trump ordered U.S. airstrikes against three Iranian nuclear facilities, but Trump did also play an important role here, according to many observers, including Evelyn Farkas, who served as a deputy assistant secretary of defense during the Obama administration, who says Trump does deserve credit for the end of hostilities between those two countries.

No. 7, India and Pakistan, this conflict heated up after a terrorist attack in April. It led to days of drone and missile strikes. The Indian government has denied that the U.S. played a role in negotiating to ceasefire. The Pakistani government said it would nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts.

Lastly, of course, No. 8, Armenia and Azerbaijan. It’s a conflict that goes back decades. In August, the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan met at the White House with President Trump. They signed a declaration to seek peace, but importantly, a final peace agreement has yet to happen.

So, as to the claim from President Trump, that he’s ended eight wars, as you may have guessed, it’s a little bit more complicated than that.

Let’s discuss with Rebeccah Heinrichs, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, along with CNN Global Affairs Analyst Brett McGurk, who have done the National Security Council during several administrations including Biden.

So, Brett, first of all, let me just say blessed are the peacemakers. Any effort to bring peace is great. None of the us want these wars to continue with. The president plays a part in ending the conflict. He should be given credit, but as we just went through, he hasn’t really ended eight wars.

Watch above via CNN’s The Lead.

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