The Nobel Peace Center has issued a formal clarification following a meeting at the White House where Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado presented her 2025 Nobel Peace Prize medal to U.S President Donald Trump.
While the gesture was intended as a symbol of gratitude for U.S. intervention in Venezuela, the move has sparked a global debate over the ownership and transferability of the world’s most prestigious humanitarian honor.
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that on Thursday, January 15, 2026, Machado presented her 2025 prize to Trump during a meeting where the duo discussed the ongoing democratic transition in Venezuela.
Machado presented her physical gold medal to Trump, stating it was a “recognition for his unique commitment to our freedom.”
Recall that Machado won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize award in 2025 ahead of Trump. The U.S President had repeatedly expressed his interest in winning the prize.
Right after the meeting, Trump took to his social media platform TruthSocial to thank the Venezuelan opposition leader.
“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!” Trump wrote in the post.
However, the Norwegian Nobel Institute swiftly reaffirmed that the Nobel Peace Prize cannot be transferred, shared, or claimed by another individual.
The Institute stressed that while a physical medal may change hands, the status of Nobel Peace Prize laureate remains exclusively with the original recipient and “stands for all time.”
This was contained in a statement issued on Friday.
The statement reads: “It measures 6.6 cm in diameter, weighs 196 grams, and is struck in gold. On its face, a portrait of Alfred Nobel, and on its reverse, three naked men holding around each other’s shoulders as a sign of brotherhood. A design unchanged for 120 years.
“Did you know that some Nobel Peace Prize medals have been passed on after the award was given? A well‑known case is Dmitry Muratov’s medal, which was auctioned for over USD 100 million to support refugees from the war in Ukraine.
“And the medal displayed at the Nobel Peace Center is actually on loan and originally belonged to Christian Lous Lange, Norway’s first Peace Prize laureate.
“But one truth remains. As the Norwegian Nobel Committee states: “Once a Nobel Prize is announced, it cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred to others. The decision is final and stands for all time.”
“A medal can change owners, but the title of a Nobel Peace Prize laureate cannot.”
Pan-Atlantic Kompass also reports that the meeting between the two world leaders took place after U.S forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, after striking Caracas.
