Trump receives Nobel Peace Prize medal from Maria Corina Machado, hails it as a ‘wonderful gesture'

WASHINGTON, DC: Donald Trump received a Nobel Peace Prize medal during a White House meeting with Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, calling the gesture a sign of “mutual respect.”

The medal was not awarded by the Nobel committee itself. Instead, Machado, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, presented Trump with her own medal, describing it as recognition for his support of Venezuela’s struggle for freedom and democracy.

Machado said the act was symbolic, aimed at honoring Trump’s role in backing Venezuelan opposition forces during years of political turmoil under President Nicolás Maduro. 

Trump calls Nobel medal a 'wonderful gesture of mutual respect' 

Trump later acknowledged the meeting in a post on Truth Social, thanking Machado for what he described as a deeply meaningful moment.

“It was my Great Honor to meet María Corina Machado, of Venezuela, today,” Trump wrote. “She is a wonderful woman who has been through so much. María presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done. Such a wonderful gesture of mutual respect. Thank you Maria!”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Trump had been looking forward to the meeting and praised Machado as “a remarkable and brave voice for many of the people of Venezuela.” She said the discussion was expected to be frank and positive, focusing on the political situation in the country and the daily realities faced by Venezuelans.

After the meeting, Machado addressed supporters gathered outside the White House gates, speaking in Spanish. According to the Associated Press, she told them, “We can count on President Trump,” and confirmed that she had presented him with her Nobel Peace Prize medal as recognition for his commitment to Venezuela’s freedom.

Machado draws historical parallel while gifting Nobel medal

Machado later compared the moment to a historic exchange between independence-era leaders, referencing the Marquis de Lafayette’s presentation of a medal from George Washington to Simón Bolívar.

She described her gesture as a symbol of brotherhood between Venezuela and the United States, saying that more than 200 years later, the people of Bolívar were honoring that shared struggle by returning a medal “as a recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom."

While Machado handed Trump the gold medal given to Nobel laureates, the prize itself remains hers. The Norwegian Nobel Institute has long emphasized that Nobel Prizes cannot be transferred, shared, or revoked.

Meeting comes amid Venezuela political uncertainty

Machado had been expected to use her meeting with Trump to argue that US support for Delcy Rodríguez’s interim government was misplaced and that her opposition coalition should guide Venezuela’s transition. However, following the capture of Nicolás Maduro, Trump largely sidelined her role.

Although Trump has previously referred to Machado as a “freedom fighter,” he has also said she lacks sufficient domestic support to lead Venezuela.

Trump has openly campaigned for a Nobel Peace Prize in the past for his international efforts. The 2025 award ultimately went to Machado, who received it in Oslo after fleeing Venezuela and later dedicated the honor, in part, to Trump.