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María Corina Machado presented the Nobel Peace Prize she won last year to President Donald Trump during a meeting at the White House on Thursday, the president announced in a Truth Social post praising the Venezuelan Opposition leader, even though the Nobel Committee has said that the Peace Prize is not transferable.

In this photo shared by the White House Maria Corina Machado is shown presenting her Nobel Peace Prize medal to President Donald Trump.

Official White House X Account (@WhiteHouse)Key Facts

After the White House Meeting, Trump wrote on Truth Social: “It was my Great Honor to meet María Corina Machado, of Venezuela, today” and called her a “wonderful woman who has been through so much.”

The president said, “María presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done,” and called the move a “wonderful gesture of mutual respect.”

The White House statement reiterated Trump’s post saying Machado “presented the President with her Nobel Peace Prize in recognition and honor.”

The plaque included a written note which read: “To President Donald J. Trump, In Gratitude for Your Extraordinary Leadership in Promoting Peace through Strength, Advancing Diplomacy, and Defending Liberty and Prosperity.”

The plaque mentions that the prize was awarded to Machado and say is has been presented to Trump as a “personal symbol of gratitude on behalf of the Venezuelan people” for his “principled and decisive action to secure a free Venezuela.”

What Has The Nobel Committee Said About Transfering Peace Prizes?

Machado’s decision to present Trump with her Nobel doesn’t mean he becomes the recipient of the 2025 Peace Prize. In a statement issued last week, the Nobel Committee said: “A Nobel Prize can neither be revoked, shared, nor transferred to others. Once the announcement has been made, the decision stands for all time.” The statement also appeared to respond to some criticism of the decision to pick Machado as the Peace Prize winner, saying: “As a matter of principle, the Norwegian Nobel Committee will not comment upon what the Peace Prize Laureates may say and do after they have been awarded the prize,” adding that the committees mandate is to only evaluate the work they had done up to the moment the prize is awarded. Earlier on Thursday, the Nobel Peace Center made an X post about the Peace Prize medal that appeared to be aimed at Machado and Trump. The post described the history of the medal and ended with: “A medal can change owners, but the title of a Nobel Peace Prize laureate cannot.”

What Has Trump Said About Machado Earlier?

A day after U.S. forces conducted a raid to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Trump was asked if he believes Machado should take over as the country’s leader. The president appeared to dismiss the suggestion, saying the Nobel laureate lacked the “respect” needed to govern the country. During an interview with Fox News last week, host Sean Hannity asked Trump about Machado wanting to give him her Nobel prize, he said: “I’ve heard that she wants to do that. That would be a great honor.”

What To Watch For

It is unclear if Machado was able to gain anything significant from the meeting with Trump. Several news outlets reported that she was seen leaving the White House with what appeared to a red gift bag embossed with Trump’s signature. A few days after Maduro’s capture, reporters asked Trump if he would pressure the Latin American country’s new interim leadership to hold free elections, to which he said Venezuela is a “dead country right now” and “We have to do one thing… bring it back.” In an interview with Fox News last week, Trump said: “We’re gonna rebuild the oil and the oil infrastructure,” and it is going to “make a lot of money, we’re gonna take it from there…and ultimately, you’re gonna have elections,” without specifying a timeline.

Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado carries a gift bag with President Donald Trump’s signature on it outside the White House following a meeting with him at the White House.

Getty ImagesFurther Reading

Venezuelan Opposition Leader Machado Meets With Trump As She Presses For Leadership (Forbes)

White House Lashes Out After Trump Doesn’t Win Nobel—But Winner Thanks Him (Forbes)

Trump Says U.S. Control Of Venezuela Could Last Several Years (Forbes)