At a Glance
- Venezuelan Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado will visit the White House Thursday
- She previously dedicated her award to Donald Trump for supporting Venezuela’s democratic movement
- Trump backs Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro’s vice president, as interim leader instead of Machado
- Why it matters: The visit could end with Trump receiving the 18-karat gold medal he has long sought
President Donald Trump missed the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, yet he might still leave the White House with the 18-karat gold medal. María Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader who won the prize, is scheduled to meet Trump on Thursday amid speculation she will hand him her award.
Machado earned the Nobel for championing democratic rights in Venezuela, a stance that forced her into hiding under Nicolás Maduro’s regime. After the January 3 U.S. military raid that deposed Maduro, she declared herself the rightful leader, citing her coalition’s victory in the 2024 elections.
The Trump administration has kept her at arm’s length. Trump instead tapped Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro’s former vice president, to run the country day to day. Hours after the raid he called Machado a “very nice woman” but said she lacked “respect” inside Venezuela. A senior White House official told Ryan J. Thompson Wednesday that Trump’s view has not changed and that the interim leadership “has willingly complied with our demands.”
Trump told reporters he spoke with Rodríguez and found her “a terrific person.” White House officials framed Machado’s visit as a courtesy she requested and Trump granted.
Each side has something the other wants:
- Machado needs U.S. backing for a democratic transition so she can take power through elections
- Trump wants recognition for his peacemaking and claims he deserves multiple Nobels
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly stated: “President Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize many times over… He doesn’t care about the recognition-only saving lives.”
The Norwegian Nobel Institute insists the prize cannot be shared or transferred, but nothing bars Machado from giving Trump the physical medal. After winning, she dedicated the award to Trump and told Fox News’ Sean Hannity the Venezuelan people “certainly want to give it to him and share it with him.” When asked if she had offered it, she replied, “It hasn’t happened yet.” A Machado adviser declined to comment on whether she will present it Thursday.
A second senior White House official said: “If she wants to gift him something, he’s not one to refuse a gift.” Former national security adviser Robert O’Brien called the move “brilliant” and predicted Trump would accept: “He took a big risk… Are they going to take the money away?” The prize includes $1.2 million, a gold medal and a certificate.
Trump has already accepted a luxury jet from Qatar intended to replace Air Force One. World leaders and U.S. lawmakers have nominated him for the 2026 prize; Norway’s parliament will announce the winner in October.
Trump has grown vocal about the snub, calling it an “embarrassment” to Norway. Former U.S. ambassador to Norway Marc Nathanson said lobbying won’t help: “The Norwegians are extremely honest… you have to wait your turn.” Former Norwegian ambassador Kåre Aas added that Trump’s threats to annex Greenland have further hurt his chances.
Diplomatic protocol would dictate a polite refusal, said Lewis Lukens, former senior official at the U.S. Embassy in London: “Thank you… but this is yours. I refuse to accept it.” Yet Newt Gingrich, author of “Understanding Trump,” expects Trump to keep it: “I suspect he’ll put it somewhere in the Oval Office… It’s a Trump move.”
If Trump accepts, the medal could join Theodore Roosevelt’s 1906 Nobel in the Roosevelt Room, steps from the Oval Office. Wherever it lands, the spectacle promises to be uniquely Trump. As Gingrich put it: “I just watch with amazement to see what happens next.”
