Machado Gifts Her Nobel to Trump, Leaves White House With Signed Bag Amid Power Uncertainty

Washington, January 16, 2026 — Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has presented her Nobel Peace Prize to former US President Donald Trump, a symbolic gesture widely seen as an attempt to secure Washington’s support amid political turmoil in Venezuela.
Machado visited the White House on Friday, where she personally handed over the Nobel award to Trump. In return, Trump gifted her a bag bearing his signature. She was later seen leaving the White House carrying the bag, sparking global media attention.
According to CNN, if Machado believed that gifting her Nobel Prize would immediately help her ascend to power in Venezuela, she may have to wait longer. The report noted that there is currently no indication that Trump or the US administration is prepared to install her in power.
The development follows dramatic events earlier this month, when Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was reportedly abducted by US forces, creating a leadership vacuum and intensifying uncertainty over the country’s political future. Since then, Machado has been actively seeking international support to position herself as Venezuela’s next leader.
Machado won the Nobel Peace Prize last year for her role in Venezuela’s democratic movement. At the time, she was in Venezuela and travelled by sea to Oslo, Norway, to receive the award.
Trump had previously expressed public interest in receiving the Nobel Peace Prize himself. However, the Nobel Committee awarded it to Machado instead. Despite her decision to give the prize to Trump, the Committee has clarified that Nobel laureate status remains solely with the original recipient.