The Norwegian Nobel Committee has issued a pointed statement after a Venezuelan laureate presented her prestigious peace prize medal to former US President Donald Trump in a controversial Oval Office ceremony.
A Controversial Handover in the White House
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who lives in exile in the United States, met with Trump for the first time on January 15, 2026. During the meeting at the White House, she handed over her Nobel Peace Prize medal, which was displayed in a glitzy golden frame.
Machado, Venezuela's main opposition figure, was awarded the prize in October 2025 for her struggle to rescue her country from what she termed a 'brutal, authoritarian state.' Following the handover, she described the day as 'a historic day for us Venezuelans.'
Trump, appearing beaming alongside Machado, later posted on his Truth Social platform: '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.'
Nobel Committee's Firm Rebuttal
The move, however, was swiftly and firmly addressed by the guardians of the award's legacy. The Norwegian Nobel Peace Committee appeared dismayed, clarifying the fundamental rules of the honour in a social media post.
The committee stated unequivocally: 'Once a Nobel Prize is announced, it cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred to others. The decision is final and stands for all time.'
Echoing this sentiment, the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo, which houses the original gold medal, issued a separate statement. It emphasised that 'a medal can change owners, but the title of a Nobel Peace Prize laureate cannot.' The Center also shared details of the iconic medal, which is 6.6 cm in diameter, made of 196 grams of gold, and features a design unchanged for 120 years.
Geopolitical Backdrop in Venezuela
The symbolic gesture occurs against a tense political backdrop. All eyes have been on Venezuela since US special forces seized the country's president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife on January 3, 2026.
Subsequently, the Trump administration moved swiftly to take control of Venezuela's vast oil reserves. The US military has also intervened to stop oil tankers suspected of transporting sanctioned Venezuelan oil.
Reports indicate that Trump was unhappy when Machado originally received the Nobel honour last year and has previously expressed a desire to win the prize himself someday.
The event underscores the complex intersection of international diplomacy, symbolic awards, and the ongoing power struggle in Venezuela, leaving the Nobel committee to defend the sanctity of its most famous award.
