President Donald Trump was confronted by a reporter Friday afternoon as he departed the White House, after accepting a symbolic Nobel Peace Prize medal offered to him as a gesture of respect.
As the president crossed the North Lawn heading toward Marine One for a flight to Mar-a-Lago, a reporter pressed him with a sharp question regarding the medal, asking why he would accept a Nobel Prize that was officially awarded to someone else.
The moment followed weeks of public discussion surrounding Trump and the Nobel Peace Prize. Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize recipient, had previously spoken positively about Trump’s foreign policy record, particularly his role in avoiding major global conflicts during his presidency.
During a recent television interview, Machado said she would be honored to personally present her Nobel medal to President Trump, describing his leadership as deserving of recognition. That meeting took place Thursday at the White House, where Machado formally offered the medal as a symbolic gesture. Nobel rules prohibit transferring the official award, but the presentation carried clear diplomatic meaning.
When asked what he intended to do with the medal, President Trump responded calmly.
He explained that Machado offered it voluntarily and praised her character, calling her a “very fine woman.” Trump said she credited him with preventing multiple wars and described the gesture as thoughtful and sincere. He added that he was impressed by her leadership and expected to speak with her again in the future.
The exchange then shifted to Venezuela’s political situation, with the reporter questioning Trump’s broader diplomatic approach and referencing ongoing tensions involving the current Venezuelan government.
Trump responded by drawing on historical experience, citing past U.S. foreign policy decisions that led to instability abroad. He emphasized that reckless regime-change efforts can create unintended consequences and reiterated his preference for practical, results-driven diplomacy.
The president again described his meeting with Machado as productive and respectful, noting that it was their first in-person discussion and that he came away with a strong impression of her resolve and leadership.
Despite the pointed nature of the questioning, Trump remained composed, using the moment to reinforce his broader foreign policy philosophy—one centered on stability, experience, and avoiding unnecessary conflict.