The Nobel Foundation has issued a clarification stating that a Nobel Peace Prize cannot be shared or transferred after the 2025 laureate, Venezuelan opposition leader MarÃa Machado, presented her gold medal to U.S. President Donald Trump.
Machado was awarded the prize in October 2025 for her “tireless work promoting democratic rights” in Venezuela. Last Thursday, she gave the physical medal to Trump during a White House meeting, calling it a gesture of gratitude for his commitment to Venezuelan freedom. Trump later shared a photo on social media, thanking her for the "wonderful gesture."
In a statement on Sunday, the Nobel Foundation noted that while a laureate may keep, give away, sell, or donate the medal and diploma, the award itself cannot be transferred or shared. “A laureate cannot share the prize with others, nor transfer it once it has been announced. A Nobel Peace Prize can also never be revoked. The decision is final and applies for all time,” the foundation stated.
It added that the original laureate remains the official recipient in history, regardless of where the physical items end up. The foundation cited the example of Nane Annan, widow of former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who donated his medal and diploma to the UN office in Geneva.
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