Why did Maria Corina Machado leave her Nobel Prize at the White House?
During a visit to the Oval Office this week, Venezuelan opposition party leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado gave something special to President Trump
by Summer Lane | January 16, 2026
President Donald Trump held a meeting on Thursday with Venezuelan opposition party leader Maria Corina Machado, and she left a meaningful gift behind in the Oval Office.
According to the president, Ms. Machado gifted her Nobel Peace Prize to the Commander-in-Chief.
Machado won the Nobel Prize last year and subsequently dedicated it to him for his notable efforts in making peace around the world.
Thursday’s meeting with the president came just weeks after the U.S. military executed Operation Absolute Resolve in Venezuela, resulting in the successful arrest of Nicolas Maduro.
Machado’s presence in the White House has drawn some speculation about whether the Trump administration could be considering her for a leadership position in the country amid the United States’ supervisory role over the South American interim government.
Currently, Delcy Rodriguez, the former vice president of Venezuela, is acting as the interim president of the country and has thus far been cooperative with the United States.
As for the president, he appeared very pleased to meet with Ms. Machado at the White House this week.
“It was my Great Honor to meet María Corina Machado, of Venezuela, today,” President Trump wrote on Truth Social. “She is a wonderful woman who has been through so much. María presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done. Such a wonderful gesture of mutual respect. Thank you María!”
The White House also posted a photo of President Trump and Ms. Machado in the Oval Office. In the photograph, the president was holding the Nobel Peace Prize, especially framed with a personal note from Machado.
She later told reporters after leaving the White House that she presented the president with the medal “as recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom,” according to the Associated Press.
It is unclear what President Trump and Ms. Machado discussed during their meeting this week.
