Nobel Peace Prize Cannot Be Transferred, Foundation Clarifies After Machado Gifts Medal to Donald Trump

Norwegian Nobel Committee and the Nobel Prize Foundation have made it clear in a recent statement that the Nobel Peace Prize itself — the honour and laureate title — cannot be transferred, revoked or shared once awarded. According to the foundation’s statutes, while a laureate may keep, donate or otherwise dispose of the physical medal or diploma, the official recognition remains permanently linked to the original winner. The foundation said this in a statement released to address Maria Corina Machado giving her Nobel Prize to US President Donald Trump.

Foundation' statement clarifies that Trump’s possession of the medal does not make him a Nobel laureate.

The Nobel authorities reiterated that their governing rules are fixed: the decision to award the Peace Prize is final and cannot be altered after announcement. They stressed that changes in the physical ownership of medals or diplomas do not affect the historical record of the prize-winner.

Venezuelan leader and Nobel peace prize winner Maria Corina Machado has presented her 2025 Nobel Peace Prize medal to former U S President Donald Trump during a high-profile meeting at the White House, sparking international attention and clarifications from the Nobel Prize Foundation.

Machado, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2025 for her long-standing efforts to promote democratic rights and peaceful transition in Venezuela, met with Trump on Thursday in a symbolic ceremony. In the Oval Office, she handed Trump a framed version of her Nobel medal, saying the gesture was in recognition of what she described as his “unique commitment to the freedom of the Venezuelan people.”

Machado’s action has drawn mixed reactions internationally. Some observers describe her gesture as a rare and poignant political signal, while others — including Nobel officials and commentators in Norway — have questioned its implications for the prestige and interpretation of the award.