WASHINGTON: The White House on Friday strongly criticized the Norwegian Nobel Committee after it awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, bypassing US President Donald Trump, who had publicly cast himself as a frontrunner for the award.
White House spokesperson Steven Cheung said the decision reflected “politics over peace,” arguing that President Trump’s diplomatic efforts and global peace initiatives merited international recognition.
“President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives. He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will,”
Cheung posted on X (formerly Twitter).
President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives.
He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will.
The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace. https://t.co/dwCEWjE0GE
— Steven Cheung (@StevenCheung47) October 10, 2025
The Nobel Committee praised Machado as one of the “courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist” authoritarian rule, recognizing her long struggle against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s government.
Machado, a prominent advocate for democracy and human rights, has endured years of political persecution, threats, and disqualification from elections.
Her award was celebrated across Latin America and beyond as a victory for pro-democracy movements and civic resistance against authoritarian regimes.
In a statement following the announcement, Machado dedicated the Nobel Peace Prize to “all Venezuelans who continue to fight for freedom under the harshest oppression.”
