Jan. 16, 2026, 5:08 p.m. ET
- Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado gave her Nobel Peace Prize to President Donald Trump.
- The gesture is seen as an attempt to gain Trump’s support for her party in Venezuela’s leadership transition.
- The Nobel Institute stated that a Nobel Prize cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred to others.
President Donald Trump met with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado on Jan. 15, and she gave him the Nobel Peace Prize she won just months ago.
Machado was awarded the peace prize for fighting for democracy in “the face of ever-expanding authoritarianism in Venezuela,” the Nobel Prize outreach website states. The Trump administration at the time said the Committee “(placed) politics over peace,” by not awarding it to Trump, who has repeatedly lamented he may never get it.
But now he has the medal, encased in a large gold-framed case with a certificate that reads, “presented as a personal symbol of gratitude on behalf of the Venezuelan people in recognition of President Trump‘s principled and decisive action to secure a free Venezuela.”
Why did she hand over her prize? Here is what we know:
Why did Machado give Trump the Peace Prize?
The gesture is seen as an attempt to earn Trump’s backing as Venezuela goes through a leadership change following the U.S. capture of its president, Nicolás Maduro.
Trump’s lunch meeting with Machado came weeks after Maduro was brought to the U.S. to face narcotrafficking and corruption charges. Maduro took office in 2013 and has presided over the collapse of the Venezuelan economy.
Machado, who has led the opposition party, announced she would run against Maduro in the 2024 election, but was blocked from running and supported her party’s alternative Edmundo González Urrutia. Both Maduro and González declared victory in 2024, but many foreign leaders, including Trump, have questioned or rejected the legitimacy of Maduro’s win. Election monitors worldwide also found overwhelming evidence that Machado’s party won, but Maduro refused to relinquish power.
Many expected Machado or González to take over after Maduro’s downfall, but instead, Maduro’s Vice President Delcy Rodríguez has been sworn in as the interim president. Machado has been working for months to win over Trump, including dedicating the peace prize to Trump when she won it in October.
“We are ready and willing to serve our people as we have been mandated,” she told CBS in a Jan. 7 interview.
Trump, meanwhile, has praised Rodríguez‘ cooperation as the United States begins to sell Venezuelan oil.
Is Trump keeping the Peace Prize?
Yes, the White House confirmed Trump would keep it, USA TODAY reported on Jan. 16. Trump has long wanted the Nobel Peace Prize, mocking and questioning why former President Barack Obama received the award in his first year in office. Trump has said he is convinced he won’t receive the prize no matter what, but many have made some fanfare around nominating him.
“Maria presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Jan. 15. “Such a wonderful gesture of mutual respect. Thank you Maria!”
But the Norwegian Nobel Institute released a statement that the prize could not be given before Machado handed over her medal.
“The facts are clear and well established. Once a Nobel Prize is announced, it cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred to others,” the statement read. “The decision is final and stands for all time.
Machado leaves with a Trump-signed gift bag
It appears as though Trump wasn’t the only one to get a gift in their lunch meeting.
An image of Machado leaving the White House shows her carrying a red gift bag with Trump’s signature in gold on the outside. The White House did not immediately respond to questions about whether Trump gave her anything that might have been in the bag.
At other White House meetings with foreign leaders, Trump has been photographed showing off his hat collection, including a “Trump 2028” hat, though he is constitutionally limited to two terms.
Contributing: Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, Cybele Mayes-Osterman, Francesca Chambers, Joey Garrison, Michael Collins, USA TODAY
Kinsey Crowley is the Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at KCrowley@usatodayco.com. Follow her onX (Twitter),Bluesky andTikTok.
