Trump loses Nobel Peace Prize to María Corina Machado in a dramatic turn for his well-publicized bid

10 October 2025

Gaby Oraa/Bloomberg via Getty; Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty

Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s hopes for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize ended in disappointment when the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced that the award would instead go to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, honoring her efforts to defend democratic rights and pursue a peaceful transition from dictatorship in Venezuela.

In the months prior to the announcement, Trump had made his ambitions explicit, repeatedly promoting his diplomatic efforts particularly in conflict zones such as Gaza and Ukraine as worthy of the prize. He often contrasted himself with past laureates, especially Barack Obama, suggesting that the Nobel Committee was biased against him.

When the committee’s decision was revealed, it awarded the 2025 Peace Prize to Machado “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.” Machado, who has been barred from running for office and has faced repression, remains a central figure in her country’s opposition movement.

In an unexpected twist Machado dedicated her award to the Venezuelan people and acknowledged Trump, saying in her statement that her movement “counts on the president and the American people” as crucial allies. Trump later confirmed that he received a call from Machado, who told him “I’m accepting this in honor of you because you really deserved it.” Yet he added wryly, “I didn’t say ‘then give it to me, though.’”

Reactions in Washington were swift. The White House sharply criticized the Nobel Committee, accusing it of placing politics over peace, and argued that Trump’s diplomatic record merited stronger consideration. Allies and supporters rallied behind him, expressing that the decision reflected bias or partisanship rather than evaluation of merit.

Some Republicans found their loyalties tested. Notably, Florida leaders had earlier backed Machado’s nomination, including Senator Marco Rubio, who now finds himself in a delicate position amid political tensions.

Observers see this outcome as a turning point in how the Nobel Peace Prize is viewed in the U.S. Trump’s persistent campaigning for the award an unusually bold posture for an American president may have backfired by exposing the committee’s resolve. Machado’s win also sends a strong message about where the Nobel Committee perceives the most at-risk struggles for democracy and human rights today. Scholars and commentators are now parsing whether her selection signals a shift in the priorities of international recognition toward resisting autocracy rather than mediating longstanding global conflicts.

In the months ahead, attention will turn to the December award ceremony in Oslo, questions over whether Machado can attend safely, and how both U.S. and Venezuelan politics will interpret and leverage this decision.