Donald Trump has a long history of publicly complaining about not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, and that frustration resurfaced in an unusual moment involving Venezuela’s opposition leader, María Corina Machado.
During a meeting on Thursday, Machado presented Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize medal, mounted in a large frame. She described the gesture as symbolic, saying it was meant to acknowledge what she called Trump’s support for Venezuela’s freedom following the capture of former leader Nicolás Maduro in Caracas.
The move quickly drew a firm response from the Nobel Peace Centre. In a pointed statement, the organization made it clear that while a physical medal can be gifted, the Nobel Peace Prize itself cannot be transferred in any form. The Centre emphasized that Machado remains the sole laureate.
In a post shared on X, the Nobel Peace Centre reiterated a long-standing rule from the Norwegian Nobel Committee: once a Nobel Prize is announced, it cannot be revoked, shared, or passed on to someone else. The statement added that while medals may change hands, the title of Nobel Peace Prize laureate does not.
This clarification echoed guidance already published on the Nobel Peace Prize website earlier this month. The site explains that the committee frequently receives questions about whether a laureate’s status can change over time. The answer, according to the committee, is unambiguous: Nobel Prizes are permanent, final, and belong solely to the individual or organization originally awarded.
Following the exchange, Trump thanked Machado on his Truth Social platform, calling the moment a “great honor.” However, he did not formally endorse her political ambitions. In his post, Trump praised Machado personally and described the presentation of the medal as a gesture of mutual respect.
Machado, who leads the Vente Venezuela party, framed the act as a symbol of solidarity between Venezuela and the United States. She said the medal represented a shared struggle against authoritarianism and described the moment as historic for Venezuelans seeking political change.
The incident also revived attention on Trump’s past complaints about the Nobel Peace Prize. Just last year, he openly expressed resentment over not being selected for the award, frequently contrasting himself with previous recipients and suggesting he had been unfairly overlooked.
While the gesture may have been symbolic, the Nobel Committee’s response served as a reminder that international honors are governed by strict rules and that personal frustration or political theater does not change how those rules work.
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