Trump Accepts Machado’s Nobel Medal, But Committee Rules Official Title Cannot Be Transferred

In a move that has sparked both political awe and harsh stricture, 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado met privately with U.S. President Donald Trump on January 15, 2026. During the White House meeting, Machado presented her physical Nobel medal to the President as a personal gift.

Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in October for her tireless work promoting democratic rights, Venezuelan opposition leader Machado described the gesture as a recognition of Trump’s unique commitment to Venezuelan freedom. The presentation followed a surprise U.S. military raid on January 3 that resulted in the capture of Nicolás Maduro, a milestone Machado credited to Trump’s leadership.

Trump, who has long and publicly coveted the Nobel honor, accepted the gold-framed medallion and celebrated the wonderful gesture of mutual respect on Truth Social. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later confirmed the President intends to keep the medal, though its final display location remains undecided.

However, the Norwegian Nobel Institute immediately pushed back against the transfer. In a sharply timed statement, the committee clarified that while a physical medal may change hands, the official title of “laureate” is non-transferable. “The Nobel Prize can neither be revoked, shared, nor transferred to others,” the committee stated, emphasizing that the original recipient remains the only one recorded in history.

The gift has drawn fierce criticism from Norwegian politicians, with some calling the act meaningless and damaging to the prize’s integrity. Critics believe Machado gave the medal away to win Trump’s full support for her leadership in Venezuela. So far, the U.S. President has avoided doing so, choosing instead to work with acting President Delcy Rodríguez.

While Trump possesses the physical award he has sought for years, the Nobel Committee’s stance ensures that, officially, the prize remains out of his reach.