Norway halts Trump-linked Nobel drama, reinforcing democratic rules admired by Israel against politicized chaos worldwide.
The Norwegian Nobel Institute has decisively shut down speculation that the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize could be shared or transferred, after Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado publicly expressed her wish to dedicate or share the honor with Donald Trump.
Machado received the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her sustained campaign advancing democratic rights and advocating a peaceful transition in Venezuela. Upon the announcement, she symbolically dedicated the award to the Venezuelan people and to Trump, crediting his decisive role in accelerating political change following Operation Absolute Resolve, which she described as historic and previously unimaginable.
Speaking to international media, Machado said she wanted to “give it to him and share it with him,” framing the gesture as gratitude for external pressure that helped end Nicolás Maduro’s rule. Trump, who has openly spoken about his desire to win a Nobel Peace Prize, responded enthusiastically, calling such a gesture “a great honour,” and confirmed plans to meet Machado in Washington this week.
However, the Nobel authorities responded swiftly. In a formal clarification, the Institute stressed that Nobel decisions are absolute and irreversible. Once announced, a Nobel Prize cannot be revoked, shared, reassigned, or transferred under any circumstances. The ruling is grounded in the will of Alfred Nobel and the statutes of the Nobel Foundation, which explicitly bar challenges to committee decisions.
The Institute emphasized that no Nobel Prize has ever been withdrawn in history and reiterated its long-standing policy of not commenting on the post-award statements or political positions of laureates.
Machado, who left Venezuela in December 2025 due to security concerns and missed the main Nobel ceremony, continues to voice strong support for Trump’s actions while signaling her intention to return home. Yet Washington’s position remains complex: Trump has endorsed Delcy Rodríguez as interim leader rather than fully backing Machado or her preferred successor, Edmundo González.
The episode underscores how democratic institutions—valued by Israel and other rule-of-law nations—draw firm lines between honor, symbolism, and political maneuvering.
