Washington: Last year’s Nobel Peace Prize triggered intense global discussion, particularly after US President Donald Trump publicly claimed he deserved the award, citing his role in halting multiple conflicts. However, the Nobel Committee awarded the 2025 Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, a decision that drew widespread attention.
Since receiving the award, Machado has repeatedly stated that President Trump was more deserving of the honour. Following the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, she announced her intention to present her Nobel Peace Prize medal to Trump. Machado met President Trump at the White House and, after a luncheon, formally handed over the medal. She praised Trump as a strong and trustworthy leader and commended his efforts toward the welfare and future of Venezuela. The two leaders also discussed Venezuela’s political future, with Machado saying her country’s people could look to Trump in their struggle for freedom. It remains unclear whether Trump officially accepted the medal.
María Corina Machado on her meeting with Trump: “I presented the president of the United States with the Nobel Peace Prize” pic.twitter.com/aFVy6gwCLU
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 15, 2026
Meanwhile, the Nobel Institute clarified that Nobel Peace Prizes cannot be transferred or reassigned to another individual at the recipient’s discretion, reiterating the award’s strict guidelines.
Machado herself was unable to attend the original Nobel Prize ceremony, having remained underground for an extended period amid threats of arrest by the Venezuelan government. She later reportedly left the country with assistance from the United States, which is said to have carried out a special operation to facilitate her exit. Around a month later, President Maduro was arrested, with reports suggesting Machado may have played a role behind the developments.
Machado was awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her advocacy of democracy and human rights in Venezuela, a nation grappling with authoritarian rule and a prolonged political crisis.