MOSCOW, January 16. /TASS/. Venezuelan opposition politician Maria Corina Machado’s decision to hand over her Nobel medal to US President Donald Trump demonstrates how previously prestigious symbols are being devalued for short-term political gain and media effect, a Russian expert told TASS.

Earlier, Machado gave her Nobel medal to Trump during their meeting in Washington on January 15.

"Passing the Nobel Prize onto Trump as a gift is not just a farcical episode but rather an example of how once prestigious symbols become bargaining chips in present-day geopolitics, their authority challenged and used to strengthen one’s political positions and wage media wars," said Nikolay Gaponenko, Associate professor at the Department of the Institute of Law and National Security of the Presidential Academy.

According to the political expert, the Nobel Peace Center’s statement that the prize winner’s title cannot be ceded to anyone else only highlights the conflict between the formal rules of the institution and their political interpretation. "Although Trump’s status remains unchanged officially, in the political media space, this act creates a desired effect for supporters and draws criticism from opponents, revealing a gap between the formal status and political image," he said.

Trump has repeatedly stated he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize. However, on October 10, 2025, the Nobel Committee announced that this year's prize had been awarded to Maria Corina Machado, the leader of Venezuelan far-right opposition.

"The medal is not an official prize but a political symbol in this context. Handing over this medal is a gesture geared to consolidate Trump’s symbolic capital and international image as a 'peacekeeper' and 'democracy advocate.' At the same time, Machado is strengthening her positions through enrolling public support from the US president in office," the expert added.