Trump was photographed in the Oval Office holding the medal and smiling beside Machado, who leads Venezuela’s main opposition movement. The gesture quickly sparked international attention and debate.
Machado told reporters on Capitol Hill on Thursday that she gave Trump the medal she received last year in recognition of her efforts to promote democracy in Venezuela.
However, the Nobel Committee swiftly responded, stressing that while a medal can be physically handed over, the title of Nobel Peace Prize laureate cannot be transferred.
“A medal can change owners, but the title of a Nobel Peace Prize laureate cannot,” the committee said in a statement.
In a message posted on social media, the committee reiterated its long-standing rule that Nobel Prizes are permanent and non-transferable.
“Once a Nobel Prize is announced, it cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred to others. The decision is final and stands for all time,” the statement read.
Despite the clarification, Machado defended her decision, citing historical precedent. She recalled how a medal commissioned for U.S. President George Washington was later presented to the family of French military officer Marquis de Lafayette for his role in helping America win its independence.
“I presented the president of the United States with the medal, the Nobel Peace Prize,” Machado told reporters.
Trump later thanked Machado publicly on his Truth Social platform.
“It was my great honor to meet María Corina Machado of Venezuela today. 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, María!” he wrote.
Machado said she gave Trump the medal because she considers him the “heir of Washington” and praised what she described as his unique commitment to Venezuela’s freedom.
The Nobel Committee’s response makes clear that while the medal may now sit elsewhere, Machado remains the official Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
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