Nobel Peace Center breaks silence after Venezuelan opposition leader gives Nobel Peace Prize to Trump

Machado, who was awarded the prize last year for her decades‑long struggle for democratic rights and peaceful transition in Venezuela, traveled to Washington in mid‑January. At a private Oval Office gathering on January 15, she handed Trump the gold medal in a symbolic gesture, praising his leadership and claiming he deserved recognition for advancing freedom in her country. Trump accepted the medal gratefully, posting about it on social media and framing it as a sign of mutual respect. (Le Guardian)

But the move immediately drew pushback from the Nobel Peace Center and the Norwegian Nobel Committee, which clarified that neither the award nor the title of Nobel Peace Prize laureate can be transferred — even symbolically — to someone else. The prestigious award is legally bound by Alfred Nobel’s will and the Prize’s governing rules, which stipulate that once the Peace Prize is conferred, it “stands for all time” and cannot be shared, revoked, or reassigned. (People.com)

In its statement, the Nobel Peace Center emphasized that while Machado can physically give her medal to another person, the recognition and title remain hers alone as the rightful 2025 laureate. The Center underscored its commitment to safeguarding the integrity and historical legacy of the Nobel Peace Prize, reaffirming that the award neither confers legal ownership nor can be used to retroactively bestow laureate status on a third party. (UNILAD)

The unusual episode unfolded amid broader geopolitical tensions. Some Norwegian lawmakers criticized the gesture as “embarrassing and damaging,” arguing it undermined the prestige of the Peace Prize and risked politicizing an institution meant to honor genuine humanitarian and peace‑building efforts. (aol.com)