Venezuela's Maria Corina Machado dedicates her Nobel Peace Prize to Trump, what Trump said?
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said she gave her Nobel Peace Prize to President Donald Trump during a private meeting at the White House on Thursday.
Maria Corina Machado met with President Trump for a lunch meeting at the White House in Washington on Thursday. Following the meeting, Machado told supporters that she had dedicated her Nobel Peace Prize to Trump. According to Nobel Foundation rules, the prize cannot be transferred to another person, a fact that has sparked legal and diplomatic debate.
President Trump praised Machado's gesture.
He wrote on Truth Social, "Maria is a wonderful woman who has suffered greatly. Maria gave me her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done."
Trump added, "This is a wonderful gesture of mutual respect. Thank you, Maria!"
This was the first time the two leaders had met in person. The meeting comes after US forces detained Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in the capital, Caracas. Since then, Venezuela has been governed by acting president Delcy Rodríguez.
Delcy was Venezuela's vice president under Maduro's rule.
Trump has refused to support Machado's claim to the Venezuelan presidency. Instead, he has been engaging in talks with Delcy.
Machado's movement claimed victory in the 2024 Venezuelan elections and declared her the new leader. The election was widely disputed.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described Machado as a courageous voice but clarified that Trump's previous assessment of her leadership remains unchanged. Trump believes Machado may lack sufficient domestic support for leadership, while he has repeatedly praised interim president Delcy Rodríguez. Trump's priority is currently securing U.S. access to Venezuela's vast oil reserves and stabilizing the country's economy.