Nobel Institute Confirms Machado Retains Peace Prize Despite Medal Handover to Trump
- Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado met with US President Donald Trump to present him with her Nobel Peace Prize medal
- The Nobel Institute confirmed that the award remains with Machado despite the physical medal's handover to Trump
- Social media users reacted sharply to the meeting, expressing varied opinions about the prize
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Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.
Source: Twitter
UNITED STATES, WASHINGTON DC - The Norwegian Nobel Institute has confirmed that Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado remains the sole holder of the Nobel Peace Prize, despite presenting the medal to U.S. President Donald Trump during a White House meeting.
Machado presents Nobel Peace Prize to Trump
According to Reuters, the clarification followed a public exchange in which Machado handed Trump the gold medal associated with the award during a meeting on Thursday, 15 January 2026. A White House official later confirmed that Trump intended to keep the medal, while Trump said on social media that Machado had presented it to him in recognition of work he claimed to have done.
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The Nobel Institute has stated that the Peace Prize cannot be transferred, shared or revoked, meaning the honour remains Machado’s, regardless of the physical gift. Machado described the meeting with Trump as productive and said the gesture symbolised appreciation for what she described as his commitment to the freedom of the Venezuelan people.
Encounter between Trump and Machado
The White House later released a photograph of Trump holding a framed display containing the medal, accompanied by text describing it as a personal symbol of gratitude on behalf of the Venezuelan people.
The meeting marked the first in-person encounter between Trump and Machado and followed Trump’s rejection of the idea that she could immediately lead Venezuela after the capture of former president Nicolas Maduro earlier this month. Trump has publicly expressed interest in winning the Nobel Peace Prize and previously complained after being passed over for the award, which Machado received last month.
Source: Twitter
Social media reacts
Various people on social media shared their opinions regarding the Nobel Peace Prize.
@akarlin said:
"He looks so happy."
@ProjectLiberal said:
"No one is happier getting a participation trophy than Trump."
@BlueATLGeorgia said:
"Trump can’t stand that Obama has one, and he never will."
@iamortician said:
"She just traded a Nobel Peace Prize for the leadership of Venezuela, very smart move on her part."
@Naughty_isotope said:
"Things are much worse than one could have imagined."
@MarsinDigital said:
"She can not give it to Trump as it is NOT a transferable award; it means nothing for him to have it."
FIFA faces backlash over Peace Prize to Trump
In a related article, Briefly News reported that FIFA has come under scrutiny after awarding a Peace Prize to US President Donald Trump during the 2026 World Cup draw.
Human rights group FairSquare alleged that FIFA President Gianni Infantino breached the organisation’s neutrality rules.
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Source: Briefly News
