Archive · 18 Jan 2026
Machado Gives Nobel Medal to Trump
Maria Corina Machado, a leader from Venezuela, won a big award called the Nobel Peace Prize for her work in defending democracy.
She gave her medal to the US President, Donald Trump, to thank him for helping her country.
Some people think this was a bad idea because it makes Machado look like she is trying to get political favors.
The group that gives out the Nobel Prize said that the medal should stay with the person who won it, even if they give it away.
Other people who have won the Nobel Prize have also given away or sold their medals for different reasons.
The medal is made of gold and has a special design.
Some people in Norway, where the Nobel Prize comes from, are not happy with Machado's decision.
Maria Corina Machado gave her 2025 Nobel Peace Prize medal to US President Donald Trump as a gesture of gratitude for his support of Venezuelan freedom.
The Nobel Committee clarified that the medal cannot be transferred or revoked, and the laureate's identity remains fixed in history.
Machado's action has sparked controversy, with critics viewing it as a political move to gain favor, especially after US forces invaded Venezuela and arrested President Nicolas Maduro.
Trump accepted the medal, calling it a 'wonderful gesture of mutual respect', but the Nobel Committee emphasized that he is not officially recognized as a laureate.
Other Nobel laureates have previously donated, sold, or exhibited their medals for various reasons, including personal causes and public displays.
- Who
- Maria Corina Machado, Donald Trump, Nobel Committee
- What
- Machado gave her Nobel Peace Prize medal to Trump, sparking controversy
- When
- The handover occurred earlier this week, with the award announced in October 2025
- Where
- The handover took place at the White House; the award was announced in Norway
- Why
- Machado gave the medal to Trump in recognition of his support for Venezuelan freedom, while critics view it as a political move
- Maria Corina Machado
- Venezuelan opposition leader and 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate
- Donald Trump
- US President who received Machado's Nobel medal
- Nobel Peace Prize
- Awarded to Machado for defending democracy in Venezuela
- Nobel Committee Statement
- Clarified that the medal cannot be transferred or revoked
- Medal Details
- 18-carat gold, 196 grams, 6.6 cm diameter, designed by Gustav Vigeland
- Previous Medal Actions
- Other laureates have donated, sold, or exhibited their medals
- Criticism
- Machado's gesture viewed as political by some, including Norwegian politicians
- Trump's Response
- Accepted the medal as a 'wonderful gesture of mutual respect'
Sources
Tharoor on the Machado-Trump Nobel Handover: ‘Collision of Venezuelan desperation and American ego’
WATCH | Video captures Machado’s ‘daring and dangerous’ escape from Venezuela to accept Nobel Prize
‘Never seen anyone so crazy for Nobel’: Kailash Satyarthi on Machado handing prize to Trump
Machado faces criticism
Not just Machado: Nobel laureates who sold, donated or gave away their medals
This Week in Explainers: How Donald Trump got the Nobel Peace Prize he long desired
