Malta's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Ian Borg decided to nominate US President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Borg's decision quickly, and rightly, saw his action criticised.

The Times of Malta quotes PL President Alex Sciberras as saying "I cannot agree with him. I can never endorse Trump - a man who espouses populist, anti-democratic discourse, who has waged a campaign against minorities and LGBTIQ rights and who suppresses freedom of expression."

The Momentum Party expressed concern and disappointment with Borg's move, saying that "what is even more troubling," is the Minister's "apparent belief that Donald Trump, a political figure who has sown division, hatred, and mistrust within his own country and far beyond, is somehow worthy of the world's highest honour for peace."

ADPD also slammed Borg's move, saying that "it is a great shame" for our country that Ian Borg formally expressed support for and nominated Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.

As one of his reasons for deserving the award, Trump often said he has ended seven wars. But a number of major international newsrooms have highlighted issues with his statements. The Associated Press, for instance, says some of the conflicts the president claims to have resolved were merely tensions and his role in easing them is disputed.

The Guardian reports that: "Analysts have assessed the president's claim to have 'ended' several wars as highly problematic. For instance, while a ceasefire brokered with US and Qatari involvement ended 12 days of fighting between Israel and Iran in June, it followed Trump's dramatic decision to bomb Iranian uranium-enrichment facilities in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan that he had previously vowed to address through negotiations."

The US President has brokered some agreements, yes. Indeed recently, he put forward the Gaza peace deal, which so far seems to be seeing success. If it holds and succeeds, it would be Trump's greatest achievement in his second term and would be worthy of high praise.

But the USA has been selling arms to Israel. The Guardian last February reported that "the United States has announced the approval of the sale of more than $7.4bn in bombs, missiles and related equipment to Israel, which has used American-made weapons to devastating effect during the war in Gaza." Had the USA taken a stronger stance with Israel earlier on, could it have resulted in fewer deaths?

The US State Department had said in March this year that since taking office, the Trump Administration has approved nearly $12 billion in major FMS (Foreign Military Sales) sales to Israel. 

There is absolutely no doubt that Trump is one of the controversial figures of our time. His treatment of the press in the USA, his treatment of other states through economic tariffs and threats of their implementation which threatened destabilisation, certain policies he enacted, his decision to withdraw the USA from the World Health Organisation are all reasons as to why Trump should never have been nominated by Borg. Let's not forget the tensions he created with statements he made about Canada, Greenland and the Panama Canal, all issues which raised tensions and were not actions of someone deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Yesterday it was announced that Trump did not get the prize.

Ian Borg is a respected politician, especially since Malta was on the UN Security Council and also chaired the OSCE recently.

But he should not have thrown his weight behind a figure as controversial as US President Trump for such a prestigious award. In his position, Borg represents the country. He should not have done so.