Machado gifts Nobel Peace medal to Trump, remains official winner
The handover took place during a meeting at the White House on Thursday.
KATHMANDU: Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado has presented her prestigious Nobel medal to former U.S. President Donald Trump.
The handover took place during a meeting at the White House on Thursday.
According to White House officials, Trump plans to keep the medal with him. Having long aspired to the Nobel Prize, Trump described the gesture as a “beautiful example of mutual respect” and expressed his delight.
On his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump wrote, “In recognition of my work, Maria has presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize. This is a wonderful sign of mutual respect. Thank you, Maria.”
Machado stated that she gifted the medal to honor Trump’s commitment to supporting the freedom of the Venezuelan people and his efforts in ousting then-President Nicolás Maduro. She also described her meeting with Trump as “very positive.”
While Machado gave the physical gold medal to Trump, she remains the official Nobel laureate.
The Norwegian Nobel Institute has previously clarified that once awarded, a Nobel Prize cannot be revoked, shared, or legally transferred.
Therefore, although Trump now holds the medal, history will record Machado as the rightful winner.
