Hopes for Donald Trump to snag the coveted award have been dashed, after Venezuela’s opposition firebrand María Corina Machado—fresh off winning the Nobel Peace Prize—publicly floated the idea of splitting the honor with the former U.S. president. But the Norwegian Nobel Institute slammed the door shut in no uncertain terms this past Friday, putting an official end to the chatter.
In a crisp statement, officials made it clear: Nobel medals aren’t hand-me-downs. “Once awarded, the Peace Prize can’t be revoked, handed off, or shared with anyone,” the Institute declared. “That’s a permanent decision—no take-backs, no add-ons!”
All this comes after Machado, who played a leading role in confronting strongman Nicolás Maduro before his recent capture, expressed her wish to include Trump in the circle of recognition. The former president supervised the successful American-led operation that finally hauled Maduro—wanted in New York on drug trafficking charges—into custody. Machado gushed about Trump’s involvement during a sit-down with Fox News’s Sean Hannity on Monday. “I would absolutely love to personally tell him that, on behalf of the Venezuelan people—because this award truly belongs to them—we want to give it to him, to share it with him,” she said. “What Trump achieved was unprecedented—a monumental leap towards true democracy.”
Not content with just words, Machado originally dedicated her Nobel award to both Trump and her homeland right after the big reveal. Meanwhile, Trump—never shy about his Nobel ambitions—has been vocal about wanting to land the prize ever since his White House comeback.
But when it comes to post-Maduro leadership? Trump’s support is going in a different direction: he’s reportedly backing acting President Delcy Rodríguez, Machado’s political rival, to take the reins in Venezuela’s next chapter. The Nobel? That stays firmly in Machado’s hands—at least, as far as Oslo is concerned.
