Less than a week ago, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado visited the White House and presented the Nobel Peace Prize to Donald Trump. The organization that awards the Prize had to make clear that it cannot be transferred, and that only Machado should be considered the rightful winner of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.
Now, some are suspecting that just days later, Trump may have already forgotten Machado’s name.
“I had a great meeting yesterday by a person who I have a lot of respect for and she has respect, obviously, for me and our country and she gave me her Nobel Prize,” Trump told reporters Friday outside the White House, although he did not use Machado’s name, even though the reporter asking him a question. “I’ll tell you what, I got to know her, I never met her before, and I was very, very impressed. She’s a really—this is a fine woman.”
Trump: “I had a great meeting by a person who I have a lot of respect for. She has respect obviously for me and our country. And she gave me her Nobel Prize, but I’ll tell you what — I got to know her. I never met her before. And I was very very impressed. This is a fine woman.” pic.twitter.com/OS0nkFPwpD
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 16, 2026
“White House insiders have said that Trump has so far refused to back Machado’s campaign because his feelings are still hurt that the 58-year-old politician did not turn down her Nobel Peace Prize in favor of Trump—who was ineligible for the prize in 2025,” the Daily Beast reported. “In a desperate effort to placate the near-octogenarian with a habit of pocketing shiny things, Machado offered up her award to him on Thursday, “because he deserves it.” Trump, of course, accepted it with glee.”
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Some social media users reacted to Trump possibly forgetting the name of the woman whom he’d only met with days earlier.
He doesn’t remember her name. https://t.co/1uD2dOoO0n
— Hemant Mehta (@hemantmehta) January 16, 2026
She gave him her Nobel Prize and he forgot her name the next day.
It couldn’t be more perfect. Pure comedy. 10/10. https://t.co/0ODW7adjcF
— Barry Malone (@malonebarry) January 17, 2026
The same woman he said didn’t have the respect of her own people and therefore couldn’t be president.
AND SHE GAVE HIM HER NOBEL. I know the Norwegians are SPINNINGGGG 😂😂😂😂 https://t.co/GHuK8Ddhji
— Munchkin (@BSonblast) January 17, 2026
Photo courtesy of the Political Tribune media library.
