The Nobel Peace Prize is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious honors in the world — and Donald Trump has never hidden the fact that he wants it.
He hasn’t received the award himself, but after an extraordinary move involving Venezuela’s opposition leader María Corina Machado, Trump has suddenly found himself at the center of an unexpected Nobel controversy.
The Nobel Peace Prize has rarely been the source of so much controversy — but that changed this year. According to Donald Trump, he should have been the obvious winner. Instead, the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado.
But after losing out on the prize himself, the President has found a way to symbolically claim it anyway, thanks to an unprecedented gesture from the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner.
When the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded on December 10 in Oslo, Trump came away empty-handed. He didn’t receive the prize, even though he had clearly wanted it, and he made no effort to hide his disappointment. Speaking publicly after losing to Machado, the president said:
”When you put out eight wars, in theory, you should get [a Nobel Peace Prize] for each war. It makes me feel so good. Not because of a Nobel Prize, but because I saved millions and millions of lives, and that’s what really makes me feel good.”
That wasn’t the first time Trump expressed frustration over the honor. In February 2025, he told reporters:
”They will never give me a Nobel Peace Prize. I deserve it, but they will never give it.”
Instead of Trump winning the prize, it was awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado “for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.”
Machado’s dramatic gesture
But that hat changed, at least symbolically, on January 15. That’s when Machado met with Trump in Washington, D.C., and physically handed him her Nobel Peace Prize medal.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, she said:
”I presented the president of the United States the medal, the Nobel Peace Prize.”
Explaining her decision, the Venezuelan opposition leader said she gave Trump the medal “as a recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom,” according to NPR.
The framed presentation accompanying the medal read:
”Presented as a personal symbol of gratitude on behalf of the Venezuelan people in recognition of President Trump’s principled and decisive action to secure a free Venezuela.”
“Maria presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done. Such a wonderful gesture of mutual respect,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
”I told him this …”
According to ABC, Machado told reporters as she was exiting the White House that she presented Trump with her prize and reflected on the history between the two countries.
“I told him this … Listen to this — 200 years ago, General Lafayette gave Simon Bolivar a medal with George Washington’s face on it. Bolivar, since then, kept that medal for the rest of his life,” she said.
“Actually, when you see his portraits, you can see the medal there. And it was given by General Lafayette as a sign of the brotherhood between the United States, people of United States, and the people of Venezuela in their fight for freedom against tyranny. And 200 years in history, the people of Bolivar are giving back to the heir of Washington, a medal, in this case a medal of a Nobel Peace Prize, and a recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom,” she added.
When asked earlier this month whether Machado could become Venezuela’s next leader, Trump dismissed her chances, saying it would be “very tough for her” because she “doesn’t have the support or the respect within the country.”
On Wednesday, Trump said he had a “great conversation” with Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez — their first direct contact since the ouster and capture of Nicolás Maduro.
“We had a call, a long call. We discussed a lot of things,” Trump said during a bill signing in the Oval Office. “And I think we’re getting along very well with Venezuela.”
Last week on his social media platform, the president announced that he had “cancelled the previously expected second Wave of Attacks” on Venezuela after the government released a number of political prisoners. He added that “all ships will stay in place for safety and security purposes.”
Nominating process
Winning the Nobel Peace Prize starts with a nomination — and not just anyone can submit one. According to the Nobel Prize website, nominations are “considered valid if it is submitted by a person who falls within one of the following categories, a personal application for an award will not be considered.”
One rule is absolute: you cannot nominate yourself.
How to chose a winner
The selection process follows six key steps:
- The Nobel Committee receives nominations from qualified individuals
- The nomination deadline closes on January 31
- A shortlist is created in March
- Advisors conduct reviews through June
- The committee votes, requiring a majority
- The winner is announced in October
The official Nobel Peace Prize ceremony is then held between October and December.
Can a Nobel peace prize be transferred?
Despite the headlines, the answer is simple: no.
The Norwegian Nobel Institute addressed the issue before Machado presented her medal to Trump, stating: “Once a Nobel Prize is announced, it cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred to others.”
The institute added: “The decision is final and stands for all time.”
So while Trump may now physically possess a Nobel Peace Prize medal, the official record remains unchanged: María Corina Machado is — and will always be — the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
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