Venezuelan Nobel Winner Dedicates Peace Prize to Donald Trump — Says He Deserved It More

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado stunned the world on Friday when she dedicated her 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to US President Donald Trump, claiming he 'deserved it more'. The declaration came shortly after the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced Machado as this year's laureate, honoring her 'unwavering commitment to democracy and human rights in Venezuela.'

In a video message recorded from an undisclosed location — she remains in hiding amid ongoing persecution by President Nicolás Maduro's regime — Machado expressed both gratitude and defiance. 'I dedicate this prize to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause.' Her words ricocheted across social media and political circles, instantly politicizing an already charged Nobel season.

The committee's decision to honor Machado was expected in some circles; she has become a symbol of democratic resistance in Latin America. But few anticipated she would redirect the spotlight toward Trump, a figure long obsessed with the Nobel Peace Prize — and one who has frequently claimed he was unfairly passed over. During his presidency, Trump's administration imposed punishing sanctions on Maduro's government, recognized opposition leader Juan Guaidó as interim president, and funded Venezuelan pro-democracy groups. To supporters, those moves were acts of solidarity; to critics, they were acts of interference.

Trump Pleased With the Dedication

Machado's dedication immediately drew mixed reactions. Trump himself responded enthusiastically, telling reporters, 'The person who actually got the Nobel Prize called today, called me and said, 'I'm accepting this in honor of you, because you really deserved is'. Meanwhile, White House officials under then President Joe Biden criticized both the remarks and the underlying sentiment, accusing Machado of 'placing politics over peace'.

Political analysts say Machado's move was both personal and strategic. According to Politico, her camp has maintained quiet communication with several former Trump advisers since 2019, when the administration threw its weight behind Venezuela's opposition. By publicly linking her Nobel to Trump, Machado may be signaling gratitude — but also inviting renewed US engagement as Venezuela prepares for a volatile election season.

Not everyone viewed it as a savvy gesture. Critics argued that by invoking Trump, Machado risked undermining her credibility as an independent dissident. Many of whom claim her actions cheapen the meaning of the prize. Others countered that Machado's bluntness only reinforced her authenticity — the same trait that has made her both admired and polarizing at home.

Machado Praised, Trump Credited

Still, her words resonated deeply among Venezuelan exiles and conservative commentators in the United States. Many praised her courage and credited Trump for empowering anti-Maduro movements at a time when global attention had waned. On social media, hashtags like #TrumpDeservedIt and #GraciasMariaCorina trended for hours after the speech.

Whether Machado's gesture will help or haunt her remains uncertain. The Nobel Peace Prize, once intended as a beacon of neutrality, has become an arena of ideological tension — and Machado's dedication to Trump only intensifies that perception. In the end, her message was as much about gratitude as it was about defiance: a Venezuelan rebel saluting a controversial ally, daring the world to question where peace truly comes from.