Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado gave her Nobel Peace Prize medal to President Trump during a White House meeting on Thursday, calling it recognition of his commitment to Venezuelan freedom, in what appeared to be a bid to secure his support for Venezuela’s “democratic transition.”
Trump accepted the 18-karat gold medal and confirmed on social media that Machado had left it for him to keep. The medal was presented in an ornate frame with an inscription reading, “In Gratitude for Your Extraordinary Leadership in Promoting Peace through Strength.”
The Norwegian Nobel Institute promptly clarified that while a medal can change owners, the title of Nobel Peace Prize laureate cannot be shared or transferred. Machado remains the official 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner for her campaign for greater democracy in Venezuela.
In remarks to reporters, Machado drew a historical parallel to American-Venezuelan relations. She recounted how General Lafayette gave Simón Bolívar a medal with George Washington’s face 200 years ago, which Bolívar kept for life. Now, she said, the Venezuelan people were giving Trump a medal as recognition of his commitment to their freedom.
The gesture comes as Machado faces an uncertain political future. Despite her status as a fierce critic of Venezuela’s former strongman Nicolás Maduro and winner of the peace prize for her campaign for greater democracy, Trump has signaled willingness to work with acting President Delcy Rodríguez, who had been Maduro’s second in command.
Just hours after Maduro’s capture, Trump said of Machado that it would be very tough for her to be the leader. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Thursday that Trump’s assessment had not changed.
After the meeting, Machado was photographed leaving the White House holding a Trump-branded gift bag, with little clarity on her political future. She later met with senators on Capitol Hill, where she struck an optimistic tone about the meeting, calling it historic and extraordinary.
Machado had spent 11 months in hiding in Venezuela before appearing in Norway last month, where her daughter accepted the prize on her behalf. She was banned from running in Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election by a court stacked with Maduro allies.
Trump has long expressed interest in winning the Nobel Peace Prize himself and has openly campaigned for the honor during his second term.
