Friday, January 16, 2026 - Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado says she presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to President Donald Trump during a closed-door lunch at the White House on Thursday night, January 15.
Machado described the meeting as historic, marking the first
time she and Trump had met in person. Speaking to reporters afterward, she said
the gesture was symbolic and meant to recognise what she described as Trump’s
role in supporting Venezuela’s struggle for democracy.
Trump later confirmed the meeting in a post on his Truth Social platform, calling it a “great honor” to meet Machado and praising her as a “wonderful woman who has been through so much.” He also acknowledged receiving the Nobel Peace Prize medal from her, describing it as “a wonderful gesture of mutual respect.”
Machado did not clarify whether Trump formally accepted the
award, which she won in 2025 for her efforts to promote democratic change in
Venezuela. The Nobel Committee has previously stated that the prize cannot be
revoked, shared, or transferred, stressing that the award decision is final and
permanent.
The meeting comes less than two weeks after U.S. military
forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in Caracas and
transferred them to the United States to face trial. Following their removal,
Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as interim president. Trump has
since indicated that he is engaging with Rodríguez’s interim government rather
than Machado.
Ahead of the White House meeting, Machado had openly praised
Trump and previously signaled her intention to symbolically share her Nobel
recognition with him, a move widely seen as an effort to strengthen ties with
the U.S. administration.
Machado’s Nobel win reportedly reignited Trump’s
long-standing interest in the prize. The president has repeatedly
expressed a desire to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, often citing his role in
resolving or de-escalating international conflicts.
Despite her strong support for Trump, he has previously
questioned Machado’s political strength within Venezuela, suggesting she may
lack sufficient backing to win a future presidential election should one be
held.
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