Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has triggered widespread controversy after choosing to hand over her Nobel Peace Prize medal to United States President Donald Trump, a move that has drawn sharp criticism internationally and prompted renewed scrutiny of the rules governing Nobel awards.
Machado, who was awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize last month for her role in championing democratic values and opposing the authoritarian rule of then-president Nicolas Maduro, presented the medal to Trump during a visit to the White House last week. The gesture immediately sparked debate about whether a Nobel Prize can be transferred, revoked, or reassigned once it has been awarded.
The decision came shortly after US forces captured Maduro in a dramatic operation in Caracas on January 3, an event that led to a rapid political transition with his deputy, Delcy RodrÃguez, installed as Venezuela’s interim president amid continuing instability. Against this backdrop, Machado’s act was seen by many as highly symbolic and politically charged.
Trump, who has frequently expressed frustration over never receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, accepted the medal and praised Machado publicly. However, he did not indicate whether he would support her ambitions to play a leading role in shaping Venezuela’s future in the post-Maduro period.
In response to the controversy, the Norwegian Nobel Institute clarified that despite the physical medal being handed over, the Nobel Peace Prize itself remains permanently associated with Machado. The institute reiterated that Nobel Prizes cannot be transferred, shared, or withdrawn under any circumstances, and that once a prize is awarded, the decision is final and irreversible.
The Nobel Foundation echoed this position, stating that neither its statutes nor the original provisions laid down by Alfred Nobel allow for the revocation or reassignment of a prize. It emphasised that no awarding committee has ever considered rescinding a Nobel Prize, regardless of any actions taken by a laureate after receiving the honour.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee also stressed that its responsibility ends at the moment the prize is awarded. While it may observe the later actions of laureates, sometimes with concern, it does not comment on or judge their conduct after the award. Its mandate, the committee explained, is strictly limited to assessing the contributions of nominees up to the time the prize is granted.
Machado’s Nobel Peace Prize also includes a formal diploma and a monetary award of 11 million Swedish crowns. The Nobel Foundation underlined that the historical record will always list Machado as the laureate, regardless of what happens to the physical symbols of the prize. It further noted that recipients have complete freedom over the medal, diploma, and prize money, including the right to give them away, donate them, or sell them.
The episode has sparked a strong backlash in Norway, where the Peace Prize holds deep national significance. Several political leaders criticised Machado’s decision, arguing that it undermines the dignity and credibility of the award. Some described the gesture as absurd, pointing out that the prize cannot be passed on and that Trump’s own political conduct underscores why he was never selected as a laureate.
Others accused Trump of using the moment to draw attention to himself, suggesting that accepting the medal reflected a desire to claim recognition earned through someone else’s work. Former officials and political figures warned that the incident could damage the reputation of the Nobel Peace Prize by turning it into a tool of political bargaining.
Academics and policy experts also weighed in, describing the act as disrespectful and deeply misguided. They argued that treating the medal as a negotiable object diminishes the values the Peace Prize is meant to represent and risks eroding public trust in one of the world’s most prestigious honours.
