Trump's Nobel Medal Gesture Sparks Debate on Foreign-Policy Influence
Venezuela opposition leader María Corina Machado handed her Nobel Peace Prize medal to Donald Trump, who accepted it, prompting scrutiny that personal flattery could influence U.S. policy toward Maduro's Venezuela. The piece traces Trump's lobbying for the prize, Machado's dedication of the award to him to secure U.S. help, the subsequent brief mission to oust Maduro, and the White House's reluctance to back Machado as Maduro's replacement. It also notes constitutional concerns about gifts from foreign figures and suggests the episode highlights how decisions could be driven by personal prestige rather than national interest.