On 9 January 2026, María Corina Machado met Donald Trump in the Oval Office, marking their first in-person meeting since the collapse of Nicolás Maduro's presidency. During the visit, Machado presented Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize medal, calling it a gesture of recognition for what she described as his role in Venezuela's 'fight for freedom,' according to footage released by the White House
Trump later described the moment as 'a wonderful gesture of mutual respect,' while Machado told reporters it symbolised historic ties between Venezuela and the United States. The imagery was striking: a sitting US president holding a Nobel medal awarded just months earlier.
