Nobel Situation
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado made headlines yesterday after presenting U.S. President Donald Trump with the Nobel Peace Prize medal she won just weeks ago during a high-profile meeting at the White House. The highly symbolic handover immediately sparked both local and international debate, given the ongoing volatility in Venezuela and the political shadow of President Nicolás Maduro.
An official White House photograph captured the moment: President Trump beaming confidently as he held a framed Nobel Peace Prize medallion dedicated to him, with Machado standing alongside. The image quickly circulated, raising a central question — what does this gesture actually mean?
Under the rules of the Nobel Foundation, President Trump does not officially “own” or hold the Nobel Peace Prize in any formal capacity. While María Corina Machado physically handed him the medal, the prize itself — including the title of Nobel Peace Prize laureate and its associated honor — remains exclusively hers and cannot be transferred.
The Nobel Foundation’s key rules regarding transfer, sharing, or gifting are explicit: once awarded, a Nobel Prize cannot be revoked, reassigned, or shared. The title is personal, permanent, and inseparable from the original recipient. However, the physical gold medal and diploma become the personal property of the laureate, meaning they can be gifted, sold, or auctioned. Historically, several Nobel recipients have chosen to auction their medals, often for charitable causes. The Nobel Committee has consistently emphasized, though, that while the object may change hands, the award itself cannot be split or reassigned.
So what motivated Machado’s decision? Many observers interpret the move as a calculated political strategy, aimed at strengthening her position as the U.S. administration weighs its next steps regarding Venezuela. The gesture signals alignment, gratitude, and an attempt to keep international focus — particularly American attention — firmly on Venezuela’s future.
In the end, President Trump can legally possess and display the physical medal, just as Machado can legally transfer it. Still, the Nobel Peace Prize’s title and honor remain solely hers — final, permanent, and exclusive to the laureate once awarded.
