Venezuela’s Maria Corina Machado meets Donald Trump and presents her Nobel Peace Prize medal

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado met with Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, DC, on January 15, in a meeting that drew international attention for both its diplomatic symbolism and political implications. Machado, the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, said she presented her Nobel medal to Trump as a gesture recognising what she describes as his support for Venezuela’s struggle for freedom.

The closed-door meeting marked the first personal encounter between Machado and Trump, and was followed by discussions with a bipartisan group of US senators on Capitol Hill. Machado told reporters she offered the medal “as a recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom,” and a photo shared by the White House showed Trump holding the framed medal after the encounter. Trump later described the gesture as an honour.

However, the Norwegian Nobel Institute has emphasised that the Peace Prize cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred once it is awarded. The Nobel Committee’s statutes make clear that the decision is final, and physical possession of the medal does not change the official status of the award.

The meeting took place against the backdrop of dramatic political shifts in Venezuela, including the recent ousting of former President Nicolás Maduro and the interim leadership of Delcy Rodríguez. Although Machado has been a long-time face of opposition to Maduro’s regime and championed democratic reforms, Trump has expressed reservations about her potential leadership and has maintained engagement with the current interim government.

Machado’s visit highlighted efforts by the Venezuelan opposition to garner international support while navigating internal political dynamics. It also sparked debate over the use of high-profile global awards in political diplomacy and the complex relationship between symbolic gestures and official recognition.