Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado said she offered her Nobel Peace Prize to Donald Trump during a meeting at the White House, prompting a public response from the US president praising the gesture.
Speaking to journalists, Machado said she presented Trump with the Nobel Peace Prize medal awarded to her in December. She went on to recount a historical parallel she shared during their meeting, drawing on the legacy of Simón Bolívar, the leader of Latin America’s independence movements.
“I told him that 200 years ago, General Lafayette gave Simón Bolívar a medal bearing the image of George Washington. Bolívar kept that medal for the rest of his life,” Machado said. “Two hundred years later, the people of Bolívar offer the heir of Washington a medal – in this case, the Nobel Peace Prize – in recognition of his unparalleled commitment to our freedom.”
Machado did not clarify whether President Trump formally accepted the offer.
Nobel rules and political symbolism
The Nobel Peace Prize has long been a personal ambition for Trump, and Machado publicly dedicated the award to him when it was announced last year. However, the Norwegian Nobel Committee made clear in a statement that the prize “cannot be revoked, shared or transferred to others”.
Earlier, Machado described her first meeting with Trump at the White House as “excellent” and “wonderful”. The visit forms part of her broader efforts to secure a future role in the governance of Venezuela.
Trump: “A wonderful gesture”
Hours after the meeting, Trump publicly praised Machado’s move. Writing on his Truth Social platform, the Republican president said: “Maria gave me the Nobel Peace Prize for the work I accomplished. What a wonderful gesture of mutual respect. Thank you, Maria!”
Source: ANA-MPA