Norwegian political leaders have issued a scathing condemnation after Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to former US President Donald Trump in a move described as "absurd" and damaging to the award's prestige.
A Controversial Presentation at the White House
The incident unfolded on Thursday at the White House, where María Corina Machado gave her medal to Donald Trump. She described the act as a personal token of gratitude from the Venezuelan people, recognising his "unique commitment" to their freedom. A photograph released by the White House showed the medal displayed in a large gold frame alongside an inscription thanking Trump for his "principled and decisive action to secure a free Venezuela."
Trump later celebrated the gesture on his Truth Social platform, writing that Machado had presented him with her Nobel prize "for the work I have done," calling it a "wonderful gesture of mutual respect."
Swift Rebuttal from Nobel Organisers
The response from the guardians of the Nobel legacy was immediate and unequivocal. The Nobel Peace Center stated on social media that "a medal can change owners, but the title of a Nobel peace prize laureate cannot." This echoed a prior declaration from the Norwegian Nobel Committee and the Norwegian Nobel Institute, which had already asserted that the prize "cannot be revoked, shared or transferred" when Machado first revealed her plan.
Machado had been awarded the prize in Oslo just last month following a secret journey from Venezuela. The committee honoured her long-standing fight for democracy against the regime of Nicolás Maduro.
Norwegian Fury: 'A Classic Showoff'
Politicians across Norway's spectrum expressed fury and embarrassment. Kirsti Bergstø, leader of the Socialist Left party, labelled the event "above all, absurd," firmly stating that "the peace prize cannot be given away." She pointed to Trump's past threats to invade Greenland as evidence of why he was an unworthy recipient.
Trygve Slagsvold Vedum, head of the Centre party, offered a biting character assessment. "The fact that Trump accepted the medal says something about him as a type of person: a classic showoff who wants to adorn himself with other people's honours and work," he said.
The most severe warning came from Raymond Johansen, former governing mayor of Oslo for Labour and now secretary general of Norwegian People's Aid. He called the situation "unbelievably embarrassing and damaging," fearing it could politicise the award and trigger an "anti-peace prize development." He questioned the Nobel committee's next move, asking, "What on earth is the Nobel committee going to say?"
The Norwegian foreign ministry declined to comment, citing the prize's independence from government, and referred inquiries to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, which did not immediately respond.
