Nobel Committee Issues Defiant Statement That Prize “Can Neither Be Revoked, Shared, Nor Transferred to Others” and Demands Immediate Return After Venezuelan Opposition Leader Gifts Her Peace Prize Medal to Donald Trump

Nobel Committee Reasserts Rules After Venezuelan Opposition Leader Gifts Peace Prize to Donald Trump

The Norwegian Nobel Committee issued an unusually direct statement this week reaffirming that a Nobel Prize “can neither be revoked, shared, nor transferred to others,” following controversy surrounding Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado’s symbolic gesture of gifting her Nobel Peace Prize medal to former U.S. President Donald Trump during a public appearance.

The Committee emphasized that while laureates may privately dedicate or verbally share credit for their achievements, the formal status of a Nobel Prize — including its title and recognition — belongs permanently to the original recipient and cannot legally or institutionally be passed to another individual, leader, or organization.

Committee Condemns Transfer and Requests Award’s Return

According to the Committee, Machado’s presentation of her Peace Prize medal to Trump misrepresented the nature of the award and violated long-standing rules about its status. The statement demanded the immediate return of the physical medal, clarifying that Nobel medals and prize diplomas are the property of the laureate, but only as symbols of the Committee’s decision — not transferable trophies.

“Once awarded, a Nobel Prize belongs to the laureate named by the Committee and to no one else,” the statement read. “It cannot be revoked, shared with others by personal declaration, nor transferred as a gift. Any public act implying otherwise is misleading.”

Organizers further stressed that transferring a medal does not change ownership of the prize in any legal or historical sense. Trump therefore does not become a Nobel laureate in any capacity, nor does he gain formal recognition from the Committee.

Symbolic Gesture Sparks Political Firestorm

Machado, a high-profile leader in Venezuela’s opposition movement, had appeared alongside Trump during a rally in the United States, where she praised his stance on Venezuela and physically handed him her Nobel medal as a sign of gratitude. The moment quickly circulated across social media and international news outlets, triggering intense debate among political supporters, critics, and Nobel observers.

While some of Machado’s supporters framed the act as a symbolic thank-you for Trump’s diplomatic support, critics argued it undermined the legitimacy of the Nobel Peace Prize and blurred the line between political theatre and international honors.

Legal Limits on “Sharing” the Prize

The Nobel Committee’s rules specify that:

Only the Committee may determine the number of laureates for a given year, and the Peace Prize may be shared by no more than three individuals or organizations. Official sharing occurs only at the time of awarding, not after. Once awarded, the prize is final and permanent, applying to the original laureate alone.

The Committee clarified that Machado remains the official Nobel Peace Prize laureate of the year she was selected, regardless of the fate of the physical medal.

Growing Concerns About Instrumentalization

Observers note that the Committee rarely intervenes publicly in how laureates behave after receiving their honor. However, the highly public gesture, combined with geopolitical implications involving Venezuela and the United States, appears to have prompted a stronger response.

International relations analysts warn that politicizing the Nobel brand could weaken the perceived neutrality of one of the world’s most prestigious recognitions for peace and human rights.

Conclusion

For now, the Norwegian Nobel Committee’s demand centers on reclaiming the physical medal and correcting the public record. Machado has not yet commented on whether she intends to return the medal, and Trump has likewise made no formal statement in response to the Committee’s demand.

Regardless of the outcome, the episode has renewed global attention on the integrity and symbolism of the Nobel Peace Prize, highlighting the tension between political messaging, international diplomacy, and the Committee’s strict institutional rules.