Donald Trump Accepts Nobel Peace Prize Medal From Venezuelan Leader But Struggles With Name

Donald Trump accepted a symbolic presentation of a Nobel Peace Prize medal from Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado during a White House meeting this week, though the moment was marked by an awkward detail: the president did not mention her name when speaking.

As reported by OK! Magazine, the exchange, which took place on Jan. 15, quickly drew attention. Machado, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2025 for her work promoting peace and human rights in Venezuela, chose to present her medal to Trump during a summit at the White House, describing the act as a gesture of gratitude.

An Unusual White House Moment

Speaking to reporters outside the White House following the meeting, Trump referenced the encounter without naming Ms. Machado directly. Instead, he described her as 'a person who I have a lot of respect for' and said she had presented him with her Nobel Peace Prize medal.

'I had a great meeting yesterday by a person who I have a lot of respect for and she has respect, obviously, for me and our country and she gave me her Nobel Prize,' Trump said, without mentioning her name. He continued by praising her personally, adding: 'I'll tell you what, I got to know her, I never met her before, and I was very, very impressed. She's a really — this is a fine woman'.

Machado Explains Why She Presented the Medal

Machado later explained her decision to give Trump the medal during an interview with Fox News the following day. She said the moment was emotional and symbolic, framing it as a tribute rather than a transfer of the award itself. 'Because he deserves it,' she said when asked why she chose to present the medal to Donald Trump. 'It was a very emotional moment. I decided to present the Nobel Peace Prize medal on behalf of the people of Venezuela'.

Alongside the medal, a note was presented to the president reading: 'To President Donald J. Trump. In gratitude for your extraordinary leadership in promoting peace through strength, advancing diplomacy, and defending liberty and prosperity'.

Trump Praises Machado in Truth Social Post

The US president later acknowledged the meeting in a Truth Social post, this time naming Ms. Machado directly and praising her political work and personal resilience. 'It was my Great Honor to meet María Corina Machado, of Venezuela, today,' he wrote.

'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'.

Machado, 58, is the leader of Venezuela's opposition party and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2025 for her efforts to promote peace and human rights in the country. Her visit to Washington followed major political upheaval in Venezuela earlier this month, when former president Nicolás Maduro was removed from power with backing from the United States government.

Trump has spoken openly in the past about his desire to receive a Nobel Peace Prize. In August 2025, he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he believed he deserved the honour, saying: 'They will never give me a Nobel Peace Prize. It's too bad. I deserve it, but they will never give it to me'.

At the time, Netanyahu had nominated Mr. Trump for the award just one month earlier.