If President Donald Trump can bring an end to the wars in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip, there will be "no denying him the Nobel Peace Prize," veteran journalist Geraldo Rivera told Newsmax on Tuesday.
Rivera stressed that such accomplishments would cement Trump's standing as a peacemaker on the world stage, adding to the president's already substantial record of brokering agreements since returning to office.
"These conflicts have caused such misery," Rivera told "Finnerty." "If you have the president of the United States trying so hard for peace, even if he's not totally successful, just the effort is so overt, so public, so aggressive — he deserves recognition at least for that."
Rivera said that partisan politics could stand in the way of awarding Trump the honor but insisted that ending either or both of the wars would be an achievement too significant for the international community to ignore.
Rivera's comments came ahead of Trump's high-stakes meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday in Alaska. The summit, requested by Putin, is being billed as a "listening session" aimed at finding a path to peace in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will not attend but will reportedly meet virtually with Trump and Vice President JD Vance before the talks.
The agenda is expected to extend beyond Ukraine to issues such as Arctic shipping lanes, rare mineral access, and even Greenland — topics of growing geopolitical importance. Rivera said the in-person format could give Trump the best opportunity to gauge Putin's intentions, particularly after years of remote diplomacy.
"You have the president of the two superpowers getting together," Rivera said. "When is it going to end? Fourteen thousand dead Russian GIs last month, missiles hitting civilian neighborhoods — if anyone can stop it, it's Donald Trump."
Rivera stressed that Putin is a master political operator, having dealt with five U.S. presidents over the past two-plus decades. Such longevity, Rivera warned, makes Putin "in many cases, the senior partner" in such negotiations. Still, he believes Trump's charisma, popularity, and political strength give him a unique advantage.
"There's nothing better than face-to-face," Rivera said. "Trump is the most charismatic, most powerful person on Earth. If anyone can do it, he can."
Rivera acknowledged that success is far from guaranteed, describing the effort as a "long shot" given Putin's track record. Trump himself, Rivera noted, has expressed skepticism over Putin's promises, bluntly dismissing them as unreliable.
Still, Rivera emphasized that any genuine attempt to halt the "river of red" flowing through Eastern Europe — and to resolve the Gaza conflict — would mark a turning point in Trump's legacy.
"If he can end this war and bring peace to Gaza," Rivera said, "you can't deny him the Nobel Peace Prize without putting politics ahead of peace."
GET TODAY NEWSMAX+:
NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America with more than 30 million people watching!
Reuters Institute reports NEWSMAX is one of the top news brands in the U.S.
You need to watch NEWSMAX today.
Get it with great shows from Rob Schmitt, Greta Van Susteren, Greg Kelly, Carl Higbie, Rob Finnerty – and many more!
Find the NEWSMAX channel on your cable system – Go Here Now
BEST OFFER:
Sign up for NEWSMAX+ and get NEWSMAX, our streaming channel NEWSMAX2 and our military channel World at War.
Find hundreds of shows, movies and specials.
Even get Jon Voight's special series and President Trump's comedy programs and much more!
Watch NEWSMAX+ on your smartphone or home TV app.
Watch NEWSMAX anytime, anywhere!
Start your FREE trial now: NewsmaxPlus.com
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.