The Norwegian Nobel Committee has issued a clear clarification reaffirming that the Nobel Peace Prize remains permanently and exclusively associated with its original recipient, even if the physical medal is later given away.
The statement follows renewed public discussion after last year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner, Machado, presented her medal to former US President Donald Trump. While the symbolic gesture drew global attention, the Nobel Committee emphasized that such an act does not alter the official record of the prize.
“The Nobel Peace Prize remains inseparably linked to the person or organisation that was awarded the prize,” the committee said. “Machado remains the original laureate recorded in history as the recipient, regardless of what happens to the medal itself.”
The committee explained that while the Nobel medal is a tangible object that can be gifted, sold, or displayed at the discretion of the laureate, the title of Nobel Prize winner is not transferable under any circumstances. The honour, they stressed, is defined by the decision of the Nobel Committee and the historical record, not by possession of the medal.
The clarification underscores a long-standing principle of the Nobel institution: recognition is conferred through merit and formal selection, not symbolic gestures or subsequent ownership of the award’s physical elements.
Although Trump may now possess the medal, the committee’s message was unequivocal — holding the medal does not make him a Nobel Peace Prize winner. The prize, its legacy, and its place in history remain firmly attributed to Machado, whose name continues to stand as the official laureate.
The statement serves as a reminder that the Nobel Peace Prize is not merely an object, but a historic distinction tied permanently to those selected by the Nobel Committee — a status that cannot be passed on, claimed, or inherited.
