Key Points:
Maria Corina Machado presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to US President Donald Trump while keeping her official laureate title.
She praised Trump’s “unique commitment” to Venezuela’s freedom during their meeting at the White House.
The Nobel Institute clarified that while medals can be transferred but the Nobel Peace Prize title cannot be transferred or revoked.
US President Donald Trump’s longstanding dream of winning the Nobel Peace Prize became a reality after his repeated calls for the award. On January 15, 2026, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado met the President of the United States (POTUS) with a peace offering he had long yearned for. During their meeting at the White House, Machado presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to the POTUS.
According to a White House official, the gold medal that was awarded to Machado in 2025 now remains with President Trump.
In a social media post, Trump described his meeting with Machado as a “great honour” and called her a wonderful woman who has been through much.
See Also: Donald Trump’s Brutal Assault on the Sovereignty of Venezuela
He claimed that he was presented with the Nobel Peace Prize medal solely for the work he has done and that the medal was given as a symbol of mutual respect. The meeting between the two was their first interaction after the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to Machado on October 10, 2025.
Trump has expressed his desire for the Nobel Peace Prize on multiple occasions, citing his contribution to maintaining world peace. He has often credited himself with brokering the ceasefire in Gaza and ending the 12-day-long Israel–Iran conflict.
He has also reiterated that it was his involvement that helped resolve tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terrorist attack on April 22, 2025, in which 26 civilians were massacred by at least three armed terrorists. India has strongly rejected Trump’s claims of brokering a ceasefire between the two countries.
Machado praised the POTUS for his “unique commitment” to the freedom of Venezuela, whose leader was toppled in a US military strike on January 3, 2026. Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro and his wife were abducted from their residence in Caracas on the basis of various charges including narco-terrorism.
She further expressed her gratitude by offering the POTUS the Nobel Peace Prize medal for his support for Venezuela’s freedom and democratic change. Machado was honoured with the prestigious award in 2025 for her work in promoting the democratic rights of the people of Venezuela and her “struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.”
She told reporters that two centuries ago, French General Marquis de Lafayette presented a medal bearing George Washington’s image to Venezuelan independence leader Simón Bolívar. The medal was cherished by Bolívar until his last breath.
“Two hundred years on, the people of Bolívar are giving back to the heir of Washington a medal — in this case, the Nobel Peace Prize medal — as recognition of his unique commitment to our freedom,” Machado said.
Trump’s recent encounter with his dream Nobel Peace Prize is not his first accolade. He had already received one, though not his dream prize. The POTUS received the FIFA Peace Prize during the 2026 FIFA World Cup final draw on December 5, 2025. Many users on X criticised Trump and FIFA for creating a new award and selecting Trump as its first-ever recipient.
However, the Nobel Institute has clarified that the Nobel Prize cannot be legally shared with any other person. Trump has hinted that he intends to keep the Nobel Peace Prize medal, but once a recipient of the award is announced, the decision is final and cannot be revoked under any circumstances.
The Nobel Committee had previously stated, “A medal can change owners, but the title of a Nobel Peace Prize laureate cannot.”
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