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Nobel Foundation Shuts Down Award Transfer After Trump Gesture
Clear Facts
- The Nobel Foundation clarified that Nobel Peace Prizes cannot be transferred or passed on, even symbolically.
- Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado attempted to gift her 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to former President Donald Trump.
- The Foundation stated that only the original recipient is recognized as the Nobel laureate and the decision is final.
The Nobel Foundation has emphasized that under its rules, a Nobel Peace Prize cannot be transferred to another individual. This clarification followed Machado’s attempt to present her award to Trump after recent political events in Venezuela.
“One of the core missions of the Nobel Foundation is to safeguard the dignity of the Nobel Prizes and their administration,” the foundation said in a statement on Sunday.
The foundation reiterated that the Nobel will always be attributed to the original laureate, no matter what happens to the physical medal or diploma. This policy ensures that official records remain unchanged.
“The Foundation upholds Alfred Nobel’s will and its stipulations. It states that the prizes shall be awarded to those who ‘have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind,’ and it specifies who has the right to award each respective prize. A prize can therefore not, even symbolically, be passed on or further distributed,” it said.
The statement also mentioned the permanence of the award, clarifying that a Nobel Prize cannot be revoked or shared post-announcement.
“Regardless of what may happen to the medal, the diploma, or the prize money, it is and remains the original laureate who is recorded in history as the recipient of the prize,” the release states.
“A laureate cannot share the prize with others, nor transfer it once it has been announced. A Nobel Peace Prize can also never be revoked. The decision is final and applies for all time,” it continues.
The decision came after Machado gifted Trump the medal in recognition of his administration’s strong stance toward Venezuela and the removal of the Maduro regime. Machado expressed her appreciation for Trump’s commitment to freedom during their White House meeting, saying,
“I presented the president of the United States the medal, the Nobel Peace Prize,” Machado told reporters after meeting with Trump at the White House, “as a recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom.”
This episode highlights ongoing debate over awarding and recognition practices in international institutions.
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