The Nobel Peace Prize Regift: María Corina Machado's Gesture to President Trump
The Norwegian Nobel Committee issued a statement regarding the 2025 Peace Prize recipient, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who decided to regift her Nobel medal to U.S. President Donald Trump. In the statement titled "The Nobel Prize and the Laureate Are Inseparable," the committee emphasized that the honor and recognition of the prize are tied to the designated laureate. The committee clarified that even if the medal changes hands, the original laureate remains the official recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.
The committee did not criticize Machado for her decision and highlighted that there are no restrictions in the Nobel Foundation's statutes preventing a laureate from giving away their medal. The committee refrained from commenting on laureates' subsequent actions after the Peace Prize is awarded, emphasizing that the laureates are accountable for their choices.
María Corina Machado presented her Peace Prize to President Trump during a private visit to the White House, expressing gratitude for his leadership in promoting peace and defending liberty. In return, Trump gifted Machado a maroon swag bag bearing his signature. Despite publicly dedicating the honor to Trump after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, Machado faced skepticism from Trump regarding her ability to lead Venezuela.
Following the U.S. military strikes in Caracas and the capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, Trump questioned Machado's capacity to govern and suggested U.S. intervention in Venezuela. A White House source indicated that Machado accepting the Nobel Peace Prize was viewed negatively by Trump, who believed she could have become the president of Venezuela if she had declined the award.
María Corina Machado expressed her intention to give her Nobel Peace Prize to Trump, a gesture that Trump welcomed as a great honor during an interview with Fox News. The exchange of the Peace Prize medal between Machado and Trump sparked discussions about their relationship and the implications of the regifting.