Washington: Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to US President Donald Trump following a private meeting at the White House.
Machado, who received the Nobel Peace Prize last year for her campaign against Nicolás Maduro’s authoritarian rule, said she offered the medal as a gesture of gratitude for Trump’s actions against the former Venezuelan president. The meeting came less than two weeks after US special forces captured Maduro and transferred him to New York, effectively ending his grip on power.
Trump later acknowledged the gesture publicly, calling it a sign of mutual respect, and the White House released an image showing the medal displayed in a framed case. The accompanying inscription described it as a personal symbol of thanks from the Venezuelan people for Trump’s role in pursuing what Machado’s allies describe as a free Venezuela.
The Nobel committee quickly clarified that while a medal can change hands, the Nobel title itself cannot be transferred or shared. Despite this, Machado proceeded with the gesture, which analysts interpreted as an effort to regain political relevance after Trump declined to back her as Venezuela’s next leader.
Although Machado’s movement is widely believed to have defeated Maduro in the 2024 election, Trump surprised many by endorsing Maduro’s deputy, Delcy Rodríguez, as acting president instead. Rodríguez was subsequently sworn in and has since led what she calls an interim administration.
President Donald J. Trump meets with María Corina Machado of Venezuela in the Oval Office, during which she presented the President with her Nobel Peace Prize in recognition and honor.🕊️ pic.twitter.com/v7pYHjVNVO
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 16, 2026
Machado’s standing suffered further when Trump publicly questioned her domestic support, describing her as lacking the authority needed to govern. His comments dampened opposition hopes that she would immediately step into power following Maduro’s removal.
In recent days, the Nobel laureate has sought to reframe her relationship with Trump, drawing historical parallels between her gesture and symbolic acts of solidarity during independence struggles in the 19th century. Supporters say the move was intended to underline shared values and revive international backing for her cause.
The White House, however, signalled that Trump’s position remains unchanged. Officials stated that his decision was based on security assessments and concerns about stability on the ground. They added that Rodríguez’s administration has been cooperative, including securing the release of several US citizens held in Venezuelan prisons.
Rodríguez, meanwhile, struck a defiant tone during a major address in Caracas, condemning the US operation that led to Maduro’s capture as a violation of sovereignty. At the same time, she expressed openness to restoring diplomatic engagement with Washington, saying Venezuela was willing to deal with all global powers, including the United States.
Machado is not the first Nobel laureate to part with a medal, but she appears to be the first to do so as an overt political appeal.
