Venezuelan Opposition Leader Gives Her Nobel Peace Prize Medal to President Trump 🇻🇪🤝🇺🇸

 Venezuelan Opposition Leader Gives Her Nobel Peace Prize Medal to President Trump 🇻🇪🤝🇺🇸

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado gifted her 2025 Nobel Peace Prize medal to U.S. President Donald Trump during a meeting at the White House on Thursday, in a symbolic gesture meant to acknowledge what she described as Trump’s contribution to Venezuela’s political future. 

Machado, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her long-standing struggle against former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s authoritarian regime, met with Trump in Washington in a bid to influence his stance on Venezuela’s transition after Maduro’s ousting. A White House official confirmed that Trump intends to keep the medal. 

In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote:

“Maria presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done. Such a wonderful gesture of mutual respect. Thank you Maria!” 

Machado described their meeting as “excellent” and said she gave the medal as a recognition of Trump’s commitment to the freedom of the Venezuelan people — even though the Nobel Prize itself formally remains hers. The Norwegian Nobel Institute reiterated that Nobel Prize awards cannot be transferred, shared, or revoked once announced.

The White House later shared a photo of Trump holding the medal in a large golden frame, with an inscription praising his leadership and efforts toward peace. Machado also met with lawmakers in the U.S. Capitol after the White House meeting, where she continued advocating for stronger U.S. involvement in Venezuela’s democratic transition. 

The unusual episode highlights the complex U.S.–Venezuela relationship. Trump had previously questioned Machado’s leadership strength even as he removed Maduro — favoring engagement with Maduro’s former vice president Delcy Rodríguez instead. Critics point out that while the symbolic gesture raised headlines, the actual Nobel Peace Prize remains awarded to Machado, and the move has drawn scrutiny, especially from Norwegian political leaders who called the transfer “absurd” given the Nobel Committee’s rules.