Machado Hands Nobel Peace Prize to Trump

New Delhi, january 16, 2026: In a historic and highly unusual diplomatic gesture, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has presented her 2025 Nobel Peace Prize medal to United States President Donald Trump.

The hand-off occurred during an intense White House meeting on Thursday, January 15, 2026, marking a symbolic peak in the relationship between the Trump administration and the Venezuelan pro-democracy movement.

A “Symbolic Transfer” of Global Honors

While the Norwegian Nobel Committee strictly maintains that the title of “Nobel Laureate” cannot be transferred or shared, the physical gold medallion is now in President Trump’s possession.

Machado, who was awarded the prize in late 2025 for her “tireless work promoting democratic rights,” framed the gift as a gesture of historical gratitude. Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill following the meeting, she drew a parallel to the 19th-century relationship between the Marquis de Lafayette and Simón Bolívar.+1

“Two hundred years ago, General Lafayette gave Simón Bolívar a medal with George Washington’s face on it,” Machado stated. “Now, the people of Bolívar are giving back to the heir of Washington a medal—in this case, the Nobel Peace Prize—as recognition of his unique commitment to our freedom.”+1

Political Context: The Ousting of Maduro

The meeting comes just weeks after a dramatic shift in South American geopolitics. On January 3, 2026, U.S. forces conducted a military operation that led to the capture of Nicolás Maduro. Since then, the Trump administration has been navigating the volatile transition of power in Caracas.+2

Despite Machado’s long-standing role as the face of the Venezuelan resistance, President Trump has occasionally voiced skepticism regarding her ability to lead the country, citing a need for “wide-scale internal support.” Analysts view Machado’s decision to “share” her Nobel Prize as a strategic move to solidify her alliance with Trump and ensure continued U.S. backing for her political coalition.+1

Trump’s Reaction and the Nobel Committee’s Stance

President Trump took to social media to acknowledge the gift, praising Machado as a “wonderful and brave woman.”

• The President’s Post: Trump described the medallion as a “wonderful gesture of mutual respect” and thanked Machado for recognizing his “work to secure a free Venezuela.”
• The Nobel Committee’s Warning: In Oslo, the Norwegian Nobel Institute reiterated its bylaws. While they acknowledged that a physical medal can change hands as a personal item, they clarified that “the Nobel Peace Prize can neither be revoked, shared, nor transferred. The decision is final and stands for all time.”+1

What’s Next for Venezuela?

The presence of the Nobel medal in the Oval Office serves as a powerful visual of the current U.S.-Venezuela “Peace through Strength” doctrine. However, the path to formal elections in Venezuela remains unclear.

While Machado has the international prestige of the Nobel, the Trump administration has also been in contact with interim figures like Delcy Rodríguez, signaling that Washington may be weighing multiple options for the country’s future.