Former President Donald Trump faced a tough question from a reporter. The reporter asked him about his intentions regarding María Corina Machado's Nobel Prize. Trump explained why he would want someone else's prestigious award.
Trump's Response to the Nobel Prize Offer
"Well, she offered it to me," Trump stated clearly. He continued, "I thought it was very nice. She said, you know, you've had eight wars and nobody deserves this prize more than in history than you do." Trump expressed his appreciation for the gesture.
He added, "And I thought that was a very nice gesture. And by the way, I think she's a very fine woman and we'll be talking again." Trump shared these comments during the interaction.
Questions About Political Alignment
After praising Machado extensively, reporters pressed Trump on another issue. They wanted to know why his administration aligned with Delci Rodriguez instead of Machado. Trump responded with a historical reference.
"Well, if you ever remember a place called Iraq, where everybody was fired, every single person, the police, the generals, everybody was fired, and they ended up being ISIS," Trump recalled. He emphasized, "Instead of just getting down to business, they ended being ISIS, so I remember that."
Trump's Meeting with Machado
Trump provided more details about his recent encounter. "But I'll tell you, I had a great meeting yesterday with a person who I have a lot of respect for," he said. Trump noted, "And she has respect, obviously, for me and our country. And she gave me her Nobel Prize."
He shared his personal impressions. "But 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 concluded about Machado.
Nobel Institute's Official Statement
The Nobel Institute issued a clear statement on the matter. They explained that the peace prize Machado offered to Trump cannot be transferred to another person. The institute clarified the rules surrounding Nobel awards.
"Regardless of what may happen to the medal, the diploma, or the prize money, it is and remains the original laureate who is recorded in history as the recipient of the prize," the statement read. It further noted, "Even if the medal or diploma later comes into someone else's possession, this does not alter who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize."
Machado's Public Message to Trump
María Corina Machado posted a public message the day after offering her Nobel Prize to Trump. She wrote, "President Trump, on behalf of the Venezuelan people, thank you for this consequential conversation with you and your administration, one that reaffirms Venezuelans' deep trust in the United States and in your leadership."
Machado expressed optimism about future cooperation. "Together, we will build a free and sovereign Venezuela: America's most reliable and secure ally in the hemisphere. Thank you, Mr President," her message concluded.
