For years, Donald Trump has expressed his belief that he should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. In an unexpected turn of events, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado recently presented her own Nobel Peace Prize medal to Trump, raising questions about whether such a gesture holds any official weight. The Nobel Peace Center has addressed the situation with an official statement.
Trump’s interest in the Nobel Peace Prize isn’t new. With the 2025 prize announcements approaching, he reinforced his claims, citing his purported success in halting “eight wars” as justification. His frustration was particularly evident in October when he criticized former President Barack Obama for winning the prize in 2009.
“Obama received a prize for doing nothing,” Trump asserted. He further claimed that his own efforts, evidenced by what he described as a “much more important” reelection in 2024, were more deserving of such recognition.
Despite his vocal frustrations, Trump was not the recipient of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian Nobel Committee chose María Corina Machado for this honor, which seemed to anger Trump. He responded by suggesting it was an “embarrassment” for Norway, mistakenly attributing the decision to the Norwegian government.
Trump’s aspiration for the Nobel Peace Prize appeared to be momentarily fulfilled when Machado, visiting the White House, handed him her medal. Although the specific motive for this gesture was not immediately clear, some speculate it may have been a goodwill gesture towards Trump to foster better relations with Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez.
Machado’s Gesture: A Personal or Official Act?
After her meeting with Trump, Machado announced to the press that she had presented him with the Nobel Peace Prize medal as a sign of appreciation for his “unique commitment to our freedom.” Trump acknowledged the gesture on social media, saying it was an honor to meet her and noting the significance of the medal she gave him.
While many of Trump’s supporters celebrated this as him “receiving” the prize, others found the situation unusual. Lewis Lukens, a former U.S. Embassy official, noted that the appropriate response from an American president offered someone else’s Nobel Prize would have been to politely decline the gift, understanding it is an award unique to the recipient.
Nobel Committee’s Clarification on Prize Ownership
To address the confusion, the Nobel Committee issued a statement confirming that the Nobel Peace Prize cannot be transferred, shared, or revoked once it is awarded. This announcement was intended to put an end to any speculation that Trump could unofficially inherit the prize through Machado’s gesture.
“Once a Nobel Prize is announced, it cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred to others,” the statement read. The committee clarified this rule underscoring the permanence and significance of being a Nobel laureate.
Reactions from the Nobel Peace Center
Following the headlines about Trump and Machado’s interactions, the Nobel Peace Center shared further details about the prize. They described the medal’s physical characteristics and historical significance, emphasizing that while the medal itself can change possession, the official status of a Nobel Peace Prize laureate remains with the original recipient.
As the center noted, “A medal can change owners, but the title of a Nobel Peace Prize laureate cannot.”
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