Norwegian Leaders Condemn Machado’s Nobel Prize Gift to Trump as “Absurd”
The controversial presentation of a Nobel peace Prize medal to former President Donald Trump by Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has sparked outrage among political figures in Norway, who accuse Trump of self-aggrandizement and warn of potential damage to the prize’s reputation.
Oslo – Political leaders in Norway have sharply criticized Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado’s decision to present her Nobel Peace Prize medal to Donald Trump, labeling the act as “absurd” and accusing the former US president of seeking to take credit for the work of others. The presentation occurred at the White House on Thursday, with Machado stating it was “in recognition [of] his unique commitment [to] our freedom.” Trump subsequently claimed on his Truth Social platform that Machado gifted him the medal “for the work I have done,” calling it “a marvelous gesture of mutual respect.”
The Nobel Peace Center clarified on social media that while a medal can change ownership, the title of Nobel laureate remains non-transferable. This position was previously stated by both the Norwegian Nobel Committee and the Norwegian Nobel institute when Machado initially announced her intention to present the medal.They affirmed that the prize “cannot be revoked, shared or transferred.”
Machado was awarded the prize last month in Oslo following a clandestine journey from Venezuela, recognized by the Nobel committee for her decades-long fight for democracy against the “brutal, authoritarian state” led by Nicolás Maduro. According to reports, following the award, Trump initiated a military intervention in Venezuela, ousting Maduro and installing Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as the new leader-a move widely condemned internationally.
Kirsti Bergstø, leader of Norway’s Socialist left party and its foreign policy spokesperson, condemned the gesture as fundamentally flawed. “This is, above all, absurd.The peace prize cannot be given away,” she stated. bergstø further argued that Trump’s past threats to invade Greenland demonstrate his unworthiness as a recipient, adding, “Trump will no doubt claim that he has now received it, but it cannot be transferred, and Trump’s repeated threats toward Greenland clearly demonstrate why it would have been madness to award him the prize.”
Trygve Slagsvold Vedum, leader of the Centre party, offered a pointed assessment of Trump’s character. “Whoever has received the prize has received the prize. 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.”
Raymond Johansen, the Labor former governing mayor of Oslo and current secretary general of Norwegian People’s Aid, expressed deep concern over the potential repercussions. He described the situation as “unbelievably embarrassing and damaging,” warning that Machado’s actions could erode the prestige of the Nobel Peace Prize and the committee itself. “This is unbelievably embarrassing and damaging to one of the world’s most recognised and vital prizes. The awarding of the prize is now so politicised and potentially dangerous that it could easily legitimise an anti-peace prize development,” he wrote on Facebook. “I can’t believe she actually gave the prize to Trump. What on earth is the Nobel committee going to say?”
The Norwegian foreign ministry declined to provide a statement, citing the independence of the Nobel Prize from the Norwegian government and deferring comment to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, which has yet to respond to inquiries.
A photograph released by the White House depicts Trump with the medal displayed in a large gold frame, accompanied by text stating it was “presented as a personal symbol of gratitude on behalf of the Venezuelan people in recognition of President Trump’s principled and decisive action to secure a free Venezuela.” The incident raises serious questions about the politicization of the Nobel Peace Prize and the implications of its symbolism in a volatile geopolitical landscape.
