At a Glance
- Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado handed her 2025 Nobel Peace Prize medal to President Donald Trump on January 15
- The Norwegian Nobel Committee issued a rare statement stressing that the honor itself is “inseparable” from the laureate
- Trump had lobbied for the prize and reportedly viewed Machado’s acceptance as the “ultimate sin”
**Why it matters: The move underscores Trump’s influence over Venezuela’s political future and ignites debate over whether Nobel medals should be transferable symbols.
Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado traveled to the White House and personally presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to President Donald Trump, prompting the Norwegian Nobel Committee to clarify that the actual prize cannot be passed along.
Nobel Committee Issues Rare Rebuke
On January 16, the committee posted a release titled “The Nobel Prize and the Laureate Are Inseparable.” The statement notes that while a winner may dispose of the 18-carat gold medal and diploma, “the prize itself – the honour and recognition – remains inseparably linked to the person…designated as the laureate.”
Key points from the committee:
- No rule bars giving away the physical medal
- Historical records will always list the original winner
- The committee does not police laureates’ later choices
The clarification came one day after Machado’s Oval Office visit.
A Medal Framed in Gratitude
Machado encased the medal in a gold-trim frame engraved with a message praising Trump’s “extraordinary leadership” and his “principled and decisive action to secure a free Venezuela.” The inscription ends: “The Courage of America, and its President Donald J. Trump, will Never be Forgotten by the Venezuelan People.”
In exchange, Trump gave her a maroon gift bag stamped with his golden signature.
Months of Tension Over the Prize
Trump repeatedly said during 2025 that he coveted the Nobel Peace Prize. A White House source told The Washington Post that when the committee awarded it to Machado in October, the decision became the “ultimate sin” in Trump’s view.
Timeline of fallout:
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Oct. 2025 | Committee awards prize to Machado |
| Jan. 3 | U.S. launches strikes on Caracas, captures Nicolás Maduro |
| Jan. 8 | Trump tells Fox News it would be a “great honor” to receive the medal |
| Jan. 9 | Committee reminds public the prize cannot be transferred |
| Jan. 15 | Machado hands medal to Trump in private ceremony |
| Jan. 16 | Committee posts statement reaffirming laureate status |
Trump Questions Machado’s Leadership
After Maduro’s arrest, Trump voiced doubts about Machado’s ability to govern, saying it would be “very tough for her” because she “doesn’t have the support or the respect within the country.” The U.S. then backed Maduro’s second-in-command as acting president rather than Machado.
The same White House source claimed that had Machado rejected the Nobel and said, “I can’t accept it because it’s Donald Trump’s,” she would now be Venezuela’s president.
Committee Reiterates Finality of Decision
Anticipating public confusion, the Nobel Committee issued a Jan. 9 release stating that once announced, “it cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred to others. The decision is final and stands for all time.”
Their subsequent Jan. 16 statement emphasized:
- The honor is permanent and non-transferable
- Only the medal may change hands
- The committee does not comment on personal choices after the award
Global Reaction
News Of Los Angeles‘s Ethan R. Coleman reported that Machado had publicly dedicated the prize to Trump upon receiving it in Oslo. Images showed her reading exhibits about her historic win during the December ceremony.
The Nobel Committee’s two statements in a week mark an unusually active response to media inquiries sparked by Trump’s hints and Machado’s eventual gift.
Key Takeaways
- Machado remains the official 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate regardless of who possesses the medal
- The committee has no power to stop regifting but seeks to protect the integrity of the prize
- Trump’s acceptance of the medal adds a symbolic victory after failing to win the honor himself
