The Norwegian Nobel Committee issued a crucial clarification on Friday regarding the rules governing the prestigious prize, in its first official reaction following the surprise move by Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado to award Nobel Peace Prize to US President Donald Trump.
In its statement issued from Oslo, the committee stressed that the moral and historical significance of the award cannot be separated from its original recipient, emphasizing that “only the original recipient is recorded in history as the recipient of the award,” regardless of what happens to the gold medal, the paper certificate, or even the monetary value of the award.
Details of the incident and its political implications
This clarification came a day after Machado announced that she had "presented" the medal to the US president, a move observers interpreted as a political attempt to curry favor with the Trump , especially after tensions arose between the two sides following Washington's ouster of President Nicolás Maduro. Through this symbolic gesture, Machado seeks to reposition herself within the new Venezuelan political landscape and secure the support of the White House.
The committee added in its statement: “Even if the medal or certificate were to be given to someone else later, that would not change the identity of the Nobel Peace Prize winner,” thus blocking any interpretations that might suggest the honorary title had been transferred to the US president.
Historical context: Freedom to dispose of the medal
Legally and historically, the committee clarified that it imposes no restrictions on how laureates dispose of their medals or prize money. The history of the Nobel Prize is replete with precedents where laureates have sold or donated their medals to humanitarian or political causes.
For example, Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov, winner of the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize, auctioned off his medal to benefit Ukrainian refugees, setting a record. Machado's falls under the category of personal property rights to the medal, but it does not confer upon the recipient (Trump) the title of "Nobel laureate."
Trump's ambition and the Peace Prize
This event takes on particular significance given US President Donald Trump's previously stated ambition to win the prize. Trump has declared on more than one occasion his entitlement to the Nobel Peace Prize, citing his efforts in addressing complex international issues and his attempts to end long-standing wars. His receiving the medal—even if as a gift—represents a form of symbolic recognition he has long sought.
The committee confirmed that it would not make any further comment “in connection with the Peace Prize winners or the political paths they are involved in,” distancing itself from internal political tensions in Venezuela or US-Venezuelan relations.
It is noted that Machado was awarded the prize in recognition of “her tireless work in promoting the democratic rights of the people of Venezuela and her struggle for a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy,” a title that will remain associated with her name in the Nobel records regardless of where the gold medal is located.
