Venezuela’s “Iron Lady” just made a jaw-dropping move at the White House — handing President Trump her Nobel Peace Prize medal and saying she had only one reason why.
“Because he deserves it,” María Corina Machado told Fox & Friends in an interview that aired Friday morning. “And, um, it was a very emotional moment.”
Machado, 58, said she presented Trump, 79, with the medal in a frame “on behalf of the people of Venezuela” after the Jan. 3 arrest of socialist authoritarian president Nicolás Maduro on federal drug and weapons charges in a daring special forces raid on Caracas.
Machado — who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2025 — praised Trump for “what he’s doing to liberate Venezuela and for freedom in the Americas.”
“I wanted to share with President Trump my profound trust in the Venezuelan people,” she said of the private lunch meeting, which lasted approximately two-and-a-half hours.
“We are people that love United States of America, that share values, that admire the strength of your institutions, that want to live with democracy and dignity and justice and freedom.
“I wanted to convey this to him, and for him to know how much support and hope there is today in Venezuela regarding what he’s doing in our country,” Machado added.
Asked what’s next for Venezuela after Maduro’s arrest, Machado’s answer was one word: “Freedom.”
“That’s what’s going to come for us. Not only that, but we are going to have a country that will be, I always say, envy of the world.”
And Machado made it clear she believes her moment is coming, too — potentially as Venezuela’s first duly elected female leader. “I want to serve my country where I am more useful,” she said.
“I do believe that, I mean, there’s a mission, and we are going to turn Venezuela into that land of grace, and I believe I will be elected when the right time comes as President of Venezuela, the first woman president.”
Watch the clips below:
🚨 WOW! Despite being told the Nobel Peace Prize could NOT be transferred, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado gave it to President Trump on behalf of the Venezuelan people. 🇺🇸🇻🇪
“Because HE DESERVES it! It was a very emotional moment. I decided to present the… pic.twitter.com/9HxRaqZFH7
— David J Harris Jr (@DavidJHarrisJr) January 16, 2026
REPORTER: “Did you offer to President Trump your Nobel Peace Prize?”
MARÍA CORINA MACHADO: “I presented the President of the United States the medal…the Nobel Peace Prize.”
“Two hundred years ago, General Lafayette gave Simón Bolívar a medal with George Washington’s face on… pic.twitter.com/xR69XpQCk8
— Fox News (@FoxNews) January 16, 2026
