Donald Trump found himself unexpectedly linked to the Nobel Peace Prize when Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado presented him her medal at the White House, creating a symbolic moment that fueled fresh debate over his role, influence, and long-standing fascination with the prestigious award.
BY PC Bureau
Jan 16, 2026: Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado said she met President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday and presented him with her Nobel Peace Prize medal, a gesture she described as symbolic amid changing U.S. engagement with Venezuela’s interim authorities.
In a social media post on Thursday evening, Trump wrote: “Maria presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done. Such a wonderful gesture of mutual respect. Thank you Maria!”
Machado, who described the meeting as “excellent,” said the gift was in recognition of what she called his commitment to the freedom of the Venezuelan people.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Machado confirmed the exchange but did not elaborate. The encounter comes as Washington reassesses its approach to Venezuela. Although Machado has long been a prominent voice of the country’s democratic movement, Trump and senior advisers have recently indicated a readiness to cooperate with the interim administration led by acting President Delcy Rodríguez, a former top ally of ousted leader Nicolás Maduro.
Machado said her private discussion with Trump focused on Venezuela’s political future, despite his public skepticism about her leadership prospects following a controversial U.S. military operation that resulted in Maduro’s capture. Trump has repeatedly argued that Machado lacks broad domestic backing, even as independent observers say her coalition likely prevailed in Venezuela’s disputed 2024 election.
Good Morning world. #Trump gets #NobelPeacePrize. Hence he has cancelled the idea of attack on #Iran. The world can be left alone finally. No Tariff tantrums, no more fake claims for ceasefires. There is still hope for Greenland. pic.twitter.com/2hvmMIPTF1
— Lt Gen DP Pandey (@LtGenDPPandey) January 16, 2026
Security concerns surrounded Machado’s visit. Her location had remained largely unknown since she fled Venezuela last year after being briefly detained in Caracas. After the closed-door White House meeting, she appeared outside to greet supporters gathered near the gates, embracing several amid loud cheers.
“We can rely on President Trump,” Machado told the crowd, prompting chants of appreciation, though she offered no further explanation.
The warm reception contrasted with Trump’s earlier doubts about Machado and his openness to working with Rodríguez, who continues to manage daily government affairs. Rodríguez was delivering her first state-of-the-nation address in Caracas while Machado was in Washington.
Trump’s engagement with Rodríguez has sidelined Machado politically, despite her efforts to build relationships within the administration, including with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt praised Machado’s courage but emphasized that the meeting did not represent a shift in Trump’s assessment of her political standing.
Trump has said Machado would face serious challenges leading Venezuela, claiming she lacks sufficient support and influence inside the country. Leavitt said Trump favors new elections in Venezuela “when the time is right,” though she declined to specify a timeframe.
According to Leavitt, Machado requested the meeting without conditions, describing it as an opportunity for a candid discussion about Venezuela’s situation.
Machado spent approximately two and a half hours at the White House before heading to Capitol Hill to meet with U.S. senators. She later reiterated that she had given Trump the Nobel medal. When questioned earlier, she responded only with “gracias” while greeting supporters.
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Her Washington visit coincided with heightened U.S. pressure on Venezuela’s oil industry. This week, American forces seized another sanctioned oil tanker in the Caribbean, following the arrest of Maduro and his wife in Caracas and their transfer to New York to face drug trafficking charges.
Leavitt said Venezuela’s interim authorities are cooperating with U.S. officials and have pledged to free additional detainees held under Maduro’s rule. Five Americans were released earlier this week.
Since Maduro’s removal, Rodríguez has softened her rhetoric toward Trump, suggesting that his “America First” agenda could be compatible with Venezuela’s interests. Trump said Wednesday that he had a lengthy and productive call with Rodríguez, their first conversation since Maduro’s ouster.
Trump had previously dismissed Machado’s leadership prospects, saying shortly after Maduro’s capture that it would be “very tough” for her to govern.
Machado has taken care not to antagonize Trump, particularly after winning the Nobel Peace Prize last year. While she publicly thanked him and proposed sharing the honor, the Nobel Institute rejected the idea. Remaining in hiding at the time, she did not attend the award ceremony; her daughter accepted the prize on her behalf. Machado briefly reappeared in Oslo in December.
An industrial engineer and the daughter of a steel tycoon, Machado rose to prominence in 2004 after co-founding Súmate, a civic group that pushed for a failed referendum against then-President Hugo Chávez. She later angered Chávez by meeting President George W. Bush in Washington.
Nearly 20 years later, Machado galvanized millions of voters against Chávez’s successor, Nicolás Maduro, in the 2024 election. Despite strong evidence that the opposition won, government-aligned electoral authorities declared Maduro victorious, sparking nationwide protests that were violently suppressed by security forces.
