Washington: The Norwegian Nobel Committee has made it clear that a Nobel Peace Prize cannot be passed on to another individual, responding to comments by Venezuelan opposition figure and Nobel laureate María Corina Machado, who said she would like to give the award to former U.S. President Donald Trump.
In a brief clarification, the committee stated that once a Nobel Prize is awarded, it remains permanently with the recipient. The rules do not allow for the honour to be revoked, divided, or handed over to someone else under any circumstances.
Machado’s remarks drew global attention after she credited Trump for his role in recent developments involving Venezuela. Following the capture of former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, who is now facing trial in the United States on multiple charges including narco-terrorism, Machado publicly suggested that Trump deserved recognition for his actions.
Despite Maduro’s removal, Machado did not step into the country’s top leadership role. Instead, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez assumed control of the government.
Trump acknowledged Machado’s comments over the weekend and said he expects to meet her during her visit to Washington next week. He described her planned visit as a gesture of respect and said he would be open to discussing her proposal.
The former U.S. president has repeatedly argued that his foreign policy achievements warrant a Nobel Peace Prize. He has often claimed credit for ending several major conflicts during his second term, saying each prevented war should count as grounds for recognition.
Trump has also been openly critical of former President Barack Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize win in 2009, arguing that it was awarded prematurely.
Machado’s upcoming visit to the United States comes at a sensitive moment, as relations between Washington and Caracas remain strained amid political upheaval and competing claims over Venezuela’s resources.
