Venezuelan Opposition Leader Machado Hands Trump Nobel Peace Prize Medallion During White House Visit
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado on Thursday presented U.S. President Donald Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize medallion during a high-level visit to the White House, a symbolic gesture she described as recognition of what she called Trump’s “historic” role in ending Nicolás Maduro’s rule in Venezuela.
Two White House officials confirmed to CBS News that the medallion was authentic and not a replica. Machado later confirmed the presentation while speaking to lawmakers on Capitol Hill, saying she offered to share the Nobel honour with Trump in gratitude for his actions toward what she described as Venezuela’s democratic transition.
President Trump acknowledged the gift in a post on Truth Social, describing it as a “wonderful gesture of mutual respect” and praising Machado as “a wonderful woman who has been through so much.” The White House later released photographs showing Trump and Machado posing with the Nobel medallion.
The medallion was displayed in a gilded frame bearing an inscription praising Trump’s leadership in “Promoting Peace Through Strength, Advancing Diplomacy, And Defending Liberty And Prosperity.” Accompanying the medal was a signed certificate from Machado stating that the gift was presented “On Behalf Of The Venezuelan People” in recognition of Trump’s “Principled And Decisive Action To Secure A Free Venezuela.”
Machado told U.S. senators that she had an “extraordinary” and in-depth meeting with the president, according to a statement released by her spokesperson. She said the gesture was meant as a reciprocal act after Trump’s recent decisions concerning Venezuela, though the president has not publicly disclosed details of their private discussions.
Earlier this month, Machado had floated the idea of sharing her Nobel Peace Prize with Trump.
However, the Norwegian Nobel Committee later clarified that Nobel titles cannot be transferred or shared, noting that while a medal can change ownership, laureate status remains exclusive.
Machado received the Nobel Peace Prize for her role as a unifying figure within Venezuela’s fractured opposition, helping rally support around calls for free elections and representative governance following years of political repression.
Despite the symbolic exchange, the Trump administration has remained cautious in its public stance on Venezuela’s future leadership. Venezuela’s interim president remains Delcy Rodríguez, a former vice president under Maduro, whom Trump recently described as a “terrific person” following a phone conversation.
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In a statement released Thursday night, Machado said she told Trump that Venezuela is “ready to move forward swiftly and responsibly toward a democratic transition,” adding that she discussed rebuilding U.S.–Venezuela relations with a focus on economic stability and citizen welfare.
She also raised the case of Edmundo González Urrutia, the opposition candidate in Venezuela’s disputed 2024 election, who later fled the country. Machado referred to González Urrutia as Venezuela’s “President-elect,” reinforcing the opposition’s rejection of Maduro’s legitimacy.
Trump has stopped short of endorsing Machado as Venezuela’s next leader, previously stating that she lacks sufficient internal support. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated Thursday that the president’s view on that assessment “has not changed.”
Meanwhile, U.S. involvement in Venezuelan oil markets intensified this week. The Pentagon confirmed the seizure of another Venezuelan oil tanker in the Caribbean, marking at least the sixth such action. The U.S. has also completed its first sale of Venezuelan oil, valued at approximately $500 million, with plans to sell up to 50 million barrels.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said funds from the oil sales could begin flowing back to Venezuela as early as Friday, signaling a significant economic shift amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.