Washington, D.C., January 16, 2026 — Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, the recipient of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, met with former U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday and symbolically presented him with her Nobel Peace Prize medal. The dramatic moment has sparked international attention and controversy over the meaning of the gesture and the rules governing Nobel awards.
Machado, who was awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to promote democratic rights and push for a peaceful transition from authoritarian rule in Venezuela, handed Trump the gold medal during their Oval Office meeting. She described the act as a recognition of Trump’s “unique commitment” to Venezuelan freedom and democratic ideals.
Photographs released by the White House showed Trump holding the framed medal, with inscriptions praising his leadership and support for liberty. Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, calling the gesture “a wonderful gesture of mutual respect” and thanked Machado for the presentation.
