Donald Trump suggested he "saved" Ethiopia with "a deal" which led to the nation's leader winning the Nobel Peace Prize.
Ethiopia's prime minister Abiy Ahmed secured the accolade in December, for making peace with Eritrea and other reforms actioned under his watch.
However, at a rally on Thursday, the US president suggested his work was actually what should've been awarded.
He said: "I made a deal, I saved a country, and I just heard the head of that country is now getting the Nobel Peace Prize for saving the country.
"Did I have something to do with it? Yeah. But that's the way it is."
He added: "As long as we know that's all that matters. I saved a big war, I saved a couple of them."
The US leader did not mention Ethiopia by name.
An Ethiopian official told The Associated Press the remarks referred to preventing further tensions between Ethiopia and Egypt, over a massive dam that Ethiopia is completing on the Nile river.
Egypt says the dam threatens its water supply while Ethiopia says it is needed for development.
The official asserted that Egypt's president lobbied President Trump over the disputed dam project.
This led to the US taking a role in the discussions.
"President Trump really believes he avoided a war as such . but that was not the case," the official said.
