Nobel Peace Prize provides prize to Donald Trump in Oval Office assembly

Maria Corina Machado, the winner of the 2025 Nobel Peace prize, says she has given the award to Donald Trump during a meeting in the Oval Office this afternoon.

Many assumed Machado, a Venezuelan opposition leader, would be installed as interim leader of the country after Trump’s invasion earlier this month, deposing dictator Nicolas Maduro..

But reports suggested he had soured on the idea because – despite saying many nice things about him – Machado didn’t refuse to accept her Nobel Prize and offer it him instead.

Since the invasion, Machado has made occasional appearances on US news channels, which many saw as a bid to love bomb the US president into thinking again and installing her as caretaker President.

Following the meeting, Ms Machado said she had given her medal to Trump, saying it was in recognition of “his unique commitment with our freedom”.

She said: “I presented the President of the United States the medal, the Nobel Peace Prize, and I told him this.

“200 years ago General Lafayette gave Simon Bolivar a medal with George Washington’s face on it. Bolivar since then kept the medal for the rest of his life.

“Actually, when you see his portraits you can see the medal there. It was given by General Lafayette as a symbol of the brotherhood between the United States, the people of the United States and the people of Venezuela in their fight for freedom against tyranny.

“And 200 years in history, the people of Bolivar are giving back to the heir of Washington, a medal, in this case a medal of the Nobel Peace Prize, in recognition of his unique commitment with our freedom.”

After report circulated she was planning the stunt, the Nobel Committee issued a statement clarifying that it was non-transferrable.

“Once a Nobel Prize is announced, it cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred to others. The decision is final and stands for all time,” they said.

After completing her meeting with Trump, Machado left the White House and briefly greeted a group of supporters who cheered her near the gate — exchanging hugs with many.

“We can count on President Trump,” she told them in Spanish, drawing cheers.

Machado then headed to Capitol Hill, where she opened a meeting with a bipartisan group of senators by greeting lawmakers individually.

She shook hands with some, and shared warmer exchanges with others, including offering Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz a hug.

Machado also posed for photographs with the group before heading into closed-door meetings with them.