Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday during a White House meeting, aiming to bolster his influence over her country’s political future.
A White House official confirmed that Trump plans to keep the medal.
In a social media post Thursday evening, Trump wrote: “Maria presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done. Such a wonderful gesture of mutual respect. Thank you, Maria!”
Machado, who called the meeting “excellent,” said the gift honored what she described as Trump’s commitment to the freedom of the Venezuelan people.
The White House later shared a photo of Trump and Machado, showing the president holding a large, gold-colored frame displaying the medal. The accompanying text read: “To President Donald J. Trump In Gratitude for Your Extraordinary Leadership in Promoting Peace through Strength,” calling the gift a “personal symbol of gratitude on behalf of the Venezuelan people.”
