Explained: Machado presented Trump with the Nobel Peace Prize: Can it be transferred, shared or sold? | world News

When Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado handed her Nobel Peace Prize medal to US President Donald Trump this week, the gesture was heavy on symbolism and light on clarity. Was Trump being given a “Nobel”? Can such an award be given? And what does medal ownership actually mean? Here’s how the rules, precedents, and the Nobel Foundation itself explain it.

What happened in Washington?

Machado presented Trump with the medal he received after being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last year. Trump publicly praised her, calling her a “wonderful woman” and describing the act as mutual respect. The White House later confirmed that Trump wanted to keep the medal.

The time was politically fraught. The meeting came days after US military action in Venezuela captured President Nicolas Maduro. While the intervention briefly raised Machado’s profile as a leading opposition figure, Trump soon distanced himself from endorsing him as Venezuela’s future leader, citing doubts about his domestic support.

Can the Nobel Prize be transferred or shared?

No. The Nobel Peace Prize itself cannot be transferred, shared, reassigned or revoked. The status of a Nobel laureate is personal and permanent. Regardless of who physically wins the medal, Machado remains the sole winner of the award. Trump’s holding of the medal does not make him a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, nor does it formally link him to the prize.

What does the Nobel Peace Center say?

The Nobel Peace Center has directly addressed the confusion surrounding Nobel medals and ownership.

In a post explaining the history and symbolism of the medal, the Center said the Nobel Peace Prize medal measures 6.6 cm in diameter.

weighs 196 grams and is made of gold. On one side is a portrait of Alfred Nobel, while the reverse shows three naked men holding each other’s shoulders as a symbol of brotherhood.

a design that has remained unchanged for 120 years. Importantly, the Center clarified that the Nobel medals have, on several occasions,

been changed after they have been awarded. A prime example is the medal of journalist Dmitry Muratov, which was auctioned for more than $100 million to support refugees from the war in Ukraine.

Another detail that is often overlooked is that the medal itself, displayed at the Nobel Peace Center, is on loan and originally belonged to Norway’s first peace laureate,

Christian Loos Lange. However, the center underlined a non-negotiable principle set by the Norwegian Nobel Committee: once a Nobel Prize is announced,

It cannot be revoked, shared or transferred. That decision will last forever. A medal can change owners, but not the title of Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

So what exactly did Machado give Trump?

He did not give him a prize but a physical medal. Once awarded, the medal becomes the personal property of the winner. While honours and titles are non-transferable, the object itself may be gifted, lent, or displayed by someone else. This difference explains why Machado’s gesture is legally possible but institutionally meaningless.

Can medals be sold?

Yes, at least in theory. Many Nobel Peace Prize medals have been sold at auction over the years, sometimes for extraordinary sums.

Prices vary widely depending on the individual and context, with the most prominent sales usually being for charitable purposes rather than for personal gain.

Modern Nobel medals are made from 18-karat recycled gold, which gives them symbolic importance as well as intrinsic material value. But selling the medal does not transfer Nobel status. Buyers receive a historical artefact, not respect.

Can Trump sell this medal?

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado leaves the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Allison Robert)

The nature of the gift remains unclear. If the medal were gifted without any restrictions, Trump could theoretically sell it as personal property. But such a move would certainly provoke a political and moral reaction. Previous high-profile sales were related to humanitarian enrichment, not personal enrichment. There is also uncertainty over whether the medal awarded to Trump was the original Nobel medal or a symbolic presentation copy, details of which have not been publicly clarified.

Why does it matter?

Trump has long expressed his disappointment at not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, frequently claiming that his diplomatic efforts went unnoticed. Machado’s gesture directly exposed that grievance, turning the Nobel Prize into a piece of political theatre at a volatile geopolitical moment.

bottom line

Therefore, even if Trump receives the Nobel Peace Prize from Machado, the Nobel Committee will still recognise Machado as the laureate.