Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado on Thursday presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to U.S. President Donald Trump during a meeting at the White House, a symbolic gesture aimed at influencing his role in shaping Venezuela’s political future.
A White House official confirmed that President Trump intends to keep the medal. Later that evening, Trump posted on social media, saying, “Maria presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done. Such a wonderful gesture of mutual respect. Thank you, Maria!”
Machado described the meeting as “excellent” and said the gift was meant to acknowledge what she called Trump’s commitment to the freedom of the Venezuelan people. The White House subsequently shared a photograph of Trump holding a large, gold-framed display of the medal alongside Machado. The inscription read, “To President Donald J. Trump, In Gratitude for Your Extraordinary Leadership in Promoting Peace through Strength,” describing the gift as a “personal symbol of gratitude on behalf of the Venezuelan people.”
The gesture followed Trump’s earlier dismissal of the idea of installing Machado as Venezuela’s leader to replace the ousted Nicolás Maduro. Trump had openly campaigned for the Nobel Peace Prize before Machado received the award last month and publicly expressed frustration when he was not selected.
Although Machado handed over the physical medal typically presented to laureates, the honor itself remains hers. The Norwegian Nobel Institute has stated that Nobel Prizes cannot be transferred, shared, or revoked. When asked earlier this week whether he wanted Machado to give him the prize, Trump told Reuters, “No, I didn’t say that. She won the Nobel Peace Prize.”
Trump has long expressed interest in winning the award and has at times linked it to his diplomatic efforts.
The lunch meeting, which lasted just over an hour, marked the first in-person encounter between Trump and Machado. Following the meeting, Machado held discussions with more than a dozen senators from both parties on Capitol Hill, where she has generally received stronger support.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump had looked forward to meeting Machado but maintained his “realistic” view that she currently lacks the political backing needed to lead Venezuela in the near term.
Machado, who fled Venezuela in December via a dramatic sea escape, is seeking to remain influential in the country’s future governance. Her efforts come amid competition from members of Venezuela’s current government for Trump’s attention.
After U.S. forces captured Maduro in a recent operation, opposition figures, members of the Venezuelan diaspora, and political leaders across the U.S. and Latin America voiced optimism that Venezuela could begin a transition toward democracy.
However, Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut, who met with Machado, said she warned senators that repression under the interim government was no different from the Maduro era. He described interim President Delcy Rodríguez as a “smooth operator” who has become increasingly entrenched, partly due to Trump’s support.
“I hope elections happen, but I’m skeptical,” Murphy said.
Trump has stated that his priorities include securing U.S. access to Venezuela’s oil resources and helping to rebuild the country’s economy. He has repeatedly praised Rodríguez, Maduro’s former deputy who assumed leadership following his capture, calling her “very good to deal with” in a recent Reuters interview.
Machado was barred by Venezuela’s top court—widely seen as loyal to Maduro—from running in the 2024 presidential election. Independent observers believe opposition candidate Edmundo González, whom Machado supported, won by a wide margin, though Maduro declared victory and held onto power.
While the current government has released dozens of political prisoners in recent days, human rights groups say the scale of the releases has been overstated.
In a recent address to lawmakers, Rodríguez called for renewed diplomacy with the United States and said that if she needed to travel to Washington, she would do so “on her feet, not dragged there.” She also announced plans to propose reforms to Venezuela’s oil sector aimed at expanding access for foreign investors.
