Nobel Peace Prize winner leaves White House with branded gift bag after handing Trump her award
She swapped her prestigious award for the so-called 'swag bag'
US president Donald Trump has seemingly gifted Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado a 'bag of swag' after she presented him with her Nobel Peace Prize medal.
On Thursday (January 14), 58-year-old Machado attended a meeting at the White House where she was photographed regifting the medal the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded to her in October.
She won the prize 'for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy'.
The politician’s win came despite the 79-year-old listlessly campaigning and publicly airing that he ‘deserved’ to be bestowed the honour.
Advert
Well, it seems his complaining paid off as Machado handed him the medal earlier this week.
It was given to him in a golden flame with text that read: “To President Donald J. Trump, In Gratitude for Your Extraordinary Leadership in Promoting Peace Through Strength, Advancing Diplomacy, and Defending Liberty and Prosperity.”
"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 framed text continued.
"The Courage of America, and its President Donald J. Trump, will Never be Forgotten by the Venezuelan People.”
In exchange for giving him her award, Machado received a maroon bag branded with Trump's signature.
While it hasn’t been revealed exactly what was inside the bag, previous reports claim that these so-called ‘swag bags’ are distributed to personal guests of the businessman and his family.
At Trump’s inauguration in January 2025, attendees were gifted a handbag featuring a large red leather journal embossed in gold with a sketch of the US Capitol, a red leather coin bearing the Capitol building and a glittering White House Christmas ornament, as per Page Six.
The guests also received a commemorative glass bottle of Diet Coke, labelled, ‘The Inauguration of the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, January 20, 2025’, the outlet reported.
Despite handing over her medal, the committee behind the Nobel Peace Prize has stated that transferring the award is prohibited.
“Once a Nobel Prize is announced, it cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred to others. The decision is final and stands for all time,” the Nobel Peace Center confirmed.
"A medal can change owners, but the title of a Nobel Peace Prize laureate cannot.”
Trump called the medal regifting a ‘wonderful gesture of mutual respect’.
"It was my Great Honour to meet María Corina Machado, of Venezuela, today,” he wrote via social media.
"She is a wonderful woman who has been through so much. María presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done. Such a wonderful gesture of mutual respect. Thank you María!”
The bizarre moment came just weeks after the Republican leader captured and removed Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, from his position.
The 63-year-old was detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, on charges of 'narco-terrorism', which he has pleaded ‘not guilty’.
After Maduro’s capture, Machado thanked Trump for his ‘leadership and courage’.
President Trump's leadership and courage has brought Nicolás Maduro to face justice and this is huge," she added to CBS.
Topics: Politics, US News, Donald Trump, Social Media, News
Ella Scott