Venezuelan opposition leader presents Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize

María Corina Machado, Venezuela’s opposition leader and last year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner, presented her prize to President Trump on Thursday during a meeting in the White House, The New York Times reported.

Mr. Trump took to social media several hours later to thank her.

“María presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done,” he wrote. “Such a wonderful gesture of mutual respect. Thank you María!”

The White House shared on social media an image of Mr. Trump holding the frame containing the Nobel medal. The inscription reads that his “Principled and Decisive Action to Secure a Free Venezuela” has been recognized. The Nobel Committee has said the Peace Prize is not transferable.

For her part, Ms. Machado, speaking to reporters earlier after meeting with Mr. Trump, said she had made the presentation “as a recognition for his unique commitment to our freedom.”

The highly unusual gesture came after months of clamoring by the American president that he had deserved the prize that she was awarded for seeking to usher a peaceful transition to democracy in Venezuela.