The Norwegian Nobel Committee has stated that the Nobel Peace Prize cannot be shared, transferred, or revoked, responding to comments by Nobel laureate and Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who said she would like to give the award to US President Donald Trump.
In its clarification, the committee said, “A Nobel Prize can neither be revoked, shared, nor transferred to others. Once the announcement has been made, the decision remains final for all time.” Machado’s remarks triggered public debate over whether a Nobel laureate could pass on the prize. The committee’s statement makes clear that Nobel rules do not allow for such a transfer.
Trump said on Saturday that he plans to discuss Machado’s proposal during her visit to the United States next week. The visit comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Caracas, following the capture of former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and Trump’s subsequent assertions regarding Venezuela’s oil resources.
“I think it’s very nice she wants to come in, and that’s what I understand the reason is,” Trump said. After Maduro was captured and brought to the US to face trial on charges including narco-terror conspiracy, Machado did not assume Venezuela’s top office. Instead, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez succeeded Maduro.
Trump has repeatedly said he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize, crediting himself with ending multiple conflicts during his presidency. He has claimed that he stopped eight wars within eight months, arguing that such actions warrant Nobel recognition.
He has also criticised former US President Barack Obama, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 shortly after taking office, saying Obama had not done enough to merit the award. Referring to Machado’s upcoming visit, Trump said she would be in Washington to “pay her respects to our country—really to me,” adding that he was speaking as a representative of the United States.
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