Nobel Institute Rebuffs Machado Plan to Share Peace Prize With Trump as White House Calls Him 'Peacemaker-in-Chief'
The Norwegian Nobel Institute reiterated that Nobel Peace Prizes are final and "cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred," after Venezuelan opposition leader MarĂa Corina Machado — who traveled to Norway to accept the award and has said she wants to "give" or "share" it with Donald Trump — indicated she would hand it to him when they meet in Washington. The White House, via spokesperson Anna Kelly, called Trump "Peacemaker‑in‑Chief" and said he "deserves the Nobel Peace Prize many times over," prompting the Nobel clarification and media coverage framing it as a public rebuke to efforts to appropriate the honor.
đź“Ś Key Facts
- The Norwegian Nobel Institute/Nobel Committee issued a formal reminder that Nobel Prizes are final and cannot be revoked, shared or transferred once awarded — a clarification framed as a response to talk of MarĂa Corina Machado giving her prize to former President Trump and to his public comments.
- MarĂa Corina Machado — who reportedly 'secretly escaped' Venezuela to travel to Norway to receive the Nobel Peace Prize — has said the award represents the Venezuelan people and repeatedly expressed intent to 'give' or 'share' it with Trump; on an on‑air exchange with Sean Hannity she said of the offer, 'Well, it hasn’t happened yet.'
- Machado has publicly praised the U.S. raid that captured Nicolás Maduro and told reporters she planned to hand or share her Nobel Peace Prize with Trump when they meet in Washington.
- The White House confirmed Machado will meet with President Trump at the White House on Thursday.
- Trump welcomed the idea of sharing the prize, saying it 'would be a great honor,' and the White House — via spokesperson Anna Kelly — called him 'Peacemaker‑in‑Chief,' saying he 'deserves the Nobel Peace Prize many times over' and citing his 'direct involvement in major conflicts' and use of U.S. military and economic leverage to bring peace.
- Despite praising Machado and meeting her, Trump has not endorsed her as Venezuela’s leader and continues to publicly back acting President Delcy RodrĂguez; he has earlier said Machado 'doesn't have the support' or 'respect' in Venezuela and asserted the U.S. is 'taking charge' of the country and its oil sector for potentially years.
- U.S. media and partisan commentators characterized the Nobel Institute's non‑transferability reminder as a rebuke to Trump's efforts to symbolically appropriate Machado's Nobel Prize, linking the clarification directly to his public 'ranting' and comments.
đź“Š Relevant Data
Oil accounts for about 98% of Venezuela's export earnings and around 50% of its GDP as of 2023, making the country highly dependent on oil revenues.
Economy of Venezuela — Wikipedia
A 2025 poll by Hinterlaces found that 91% of Venezuelans hold an unfavorable view of MarĂa Corina Machado, making her one of the most unpopular political figures in the country.
Polls: 91% of Venezuelans Hold Unfavorable Views of Opposition Leader MarĂa Corina Machado — Buy Me a Coffee
Venezuela's economic crisis in the 2020s was driven by domestic policies including price controls, nationalizations, and corruption, with hyperinflation reaching over 1 million percent in 2018, though it slowed to 190% by 2023.
Why did Venezuela's economy collapse? — Economics Observatory
As of 2023, approximately 82.4% of Venezuelan households live in poverty, with 50.5% in extreme poverty, and ethnic minorities such as Indigenous and Afro-Venezuelans experience higher rates, though specific recent breakdowns show overall poverty affecting over 90% of the population.
Poverty and inequality in Venezuela - statistics & facts — Statista
US sanctions contributed to a decline in Venezuela's oil production by over 60% from 2016 to 2023, exacerbating the economic crisis by reducing export revenues by billions annually.
Sanctions during the Venezuelan crisis — Wikipedia
Over 7.7 million Venezuelans have migrated out of the country since 2014, representing about 25% of the population, leading to demographic shifts including a brain drain and aging population in Venezuela as of 2023.
The Persistence of the Venezuelan Migrant and Refugee Crisis — CSIS
đź“° Source Timeline (5)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- MSNBC piece reinforces that the Nobel Committee/Norwegian Nobel Institute has publicly reiterated the rule that Nobel Prizes are non‑transferable and cannot be shared or reassigned after the fact.
- It frames this clarification explicitly as a response to Trump’s public ranting and comments about deserving or receiving Machado’s Nobel Peace Prize, not just Machado’s statements.
- It highlights U.S. partisan/media reaction, treating the Nobel clarification as a rebuke to Trump’s effort to appropriate the honor symbolically.
- Confirms that MarĂa Corina Machado will meet President Trump at the White House on Thursday, according to a White House official.
- Clarifies that Trump has not endorsed Machado to lead Venezuela despite the meeting and her public praise.
- Reiterates Trump’s earlier dismissal of Machado’s domestic standing — saying she 'doesn't have the support' or 'respect' in Venezuela — while he asserts the U.S. is 'taking charge' of the country and its oil sector for potentially years.
- Provides Machado’s latest public framing that her Nobel Peace Prize represents the 'Venezuelan people' and that she wants to 'give it to him and share it with him,' even though the Nobel Institute says transfer is impossible.
- The White House, via spokesperson Anna Kelly, issued a written statement claiming Trump 'deserves the Nobel Peace Prize many times over' and calling him 'Peacemaker-in-Chief.'
- Kelly asserted that Trump’s 'direct involvement in major conflicts' and use of U.S. military and economic leverage have 'brought peace to decades-long wars around the world.'
- The article reiterates that Machado intended to hand her Nobel Peace Prize to Trump when they meet in Washington and that she had praised the U.S. raid in Caracas that captured Nicolás Maduro, while the Nobel Institute formally stated a Nobel Prize cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred once awarded.
- Direct quotation from the Norwegian Nobel Institute spelling out that a Nobel Prize 'cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred to others' and that the decision 'is final and stands for all time.'
- Additional detail that Machado 'secretly escaped Venezuela' to travel to Norway to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
- On-air exchange where Hannity presses Machado on whether she actually offered to give Trump the prize and her answer, 'Well, it hasn’t happened yet,' elaborating her intent to 'share' it with him.
- Trump’s latest televised comment that having the prize shared with him 'would be a great honor,' reiterating his eagerness for Nobel recognition.
- Reiteration that despite praising Machado on air and planning to meet her in Washington next week, Trump still publicly backs acting President Delcy RodrĂguez—not Machado—as Venezuela’s interim leader.