Venezuela’s Machado Presents Her Nobel Peace Prize Medal to Donald Trump at White House Meet

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who was awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her work promoting democratic rights and a peaceful transition in Venezuela, presented her Nobel medal to Donald Trump during a meeting at the White House on Thursday.

A White House official confirmed that the gold medal now remains in Trump’s possession following the hour-long discussion between the two leaders. Machado described her gesture as a recognition of Trump’s “unique commitment to our freedom,” signalling appreciation for his role in recent developments involving Venezuela.

The meeting comes at a politically charged moment, with U.S.–Venezuela relations in focus after U.S. forces led the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife earlier this month. Despite the gesture, Trump’s broader stance on Machado has remained cautious, with administration officials saying his assessment of her leadership prospects has not changed substantially.

After leaving the White House, Machado was greeted by supporters in Washington, D.C., who cheered her and echoed approval of Trump’s role. Machado responded to the crowd, saying, “We can count on President Trump,” a statement that sparked chants of “Thank you, Trump.”

In a social media post on his Truth Social platform, Trump described Machado’s gesture as a “wonderful gesture of mutual respect.” He wrote that Machado presented the Nobel Peace Prize to him “for the work I have done,” reflecting both his praise for her and his own long-expressed interest in the award.

However, the Norwegian Nobel Institute clarified that the Nobel Peace Prize cannot be formally transferred, shared, revoked or shared once awarded, meaning that Machado remains the official laureate even if the medal itself is physically held by Trump.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described Machado as a brave voice for many Venezuelans and said Trump looked forward to the conversation, but reiterated that his view on her ability to lead a transition government has not shifted. Trump has previously argued that Machado lacks sufficient domestic backing to head a transitional regime.

Thursday’s interaction marked Machado’s first public engagement in Washington in months. She had been barred from participating in Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election by a top court aligned with Maduro’s regime and later left the country under threats to her safety. Independent observers have said that opposition-backed candidate Edmundo González Urrutia had won the contested election, though Maduro declared himself victor and remained in power.