Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado said on Thursday that she presented U.S. President Donald Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize medal during a meeting at the White House. Machado did not answer reporters’ questions about whether Trump formally accepted the medal at the time.
Machado described the gesture as symbolic and rooted in gratitude toward Trump for what she characterized as his support of Venezuelan freedom. “I presented Trump the Nobel Peace Prize. The people of Bolivar are giving back to the heir of Washington a medal, the medal of the Nobel Peace Prize, for the recognition of his unique commitment to our freedom.”
Machado was awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize by the Norwegian Nobel Committee for her long‑standing efforts to promote democratic rights in Venezuela and her leadership of the opposition movement against the authoritarian regime of Nicolás Maduro. The committee has emphasized that its awards are permanent and cannot be transferred or shared, even symbolically, in accordance with Nobel rules.
In an interview before Thursday’s meeting, Machado told Fox News that she had dedicated her Nobel Peace Prize to Trump, saying she believed he deserved recognition for what she described as “decisive support” for Venezuelan democracy — particularly as the country faced political upheaval and calls for democratic transition. She said, “A lot of people … said it was impossible to achieve what he has just done … January third will go down in history the day justice won.” That comment referenced recent events in Venezuela, including the apparent ouster or removal of Maduro.
The gesture of handing over the medal underscores Machado’s ongoing efforts to strengthen international backing for the Venezuelan opposition and highlights her gratitude toward perceived allies of the democratic movement. However, the Nobel Committee’s statutes make clear that Peace Prize medals remain the property of the individual laureate and may not be formally transferred or shared with others.
The meeting between the two leaders also comes amid broader diplomatic and political developments involving U.S. policy toward Venezuela, including pressure on the Maduro regime and discussions about future governance. Machado’s symbolic presentation should be seen in the context of her longstanding campaign for democratic reforms and global recognition of Venezuela’s political struggles.
