Internet Can’t Stop Laughing: Venezuelan Laureate María Corina Machado Gave US President Donald Trump Her Nobel Prize And He Forgot Her Name the Next Day

Familiarity breeds contempt but only Trump generates content. In the never-ending circus of modern political theatre, the US President once again delivered a moment tailor-made for social media. A viral clip surfaced this week of Donald Trump speaking about a meeting with 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado and the Internet could not believe what it heard. Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader recognised for her democratic activism, gave Trump her Nobel Peace Prize medal during a January 15 White House visit, a gesture that quickly ignited global reaction. However, what set off the meme mill was not the diplomatic exchange itself but Trump’s apparent inability to remember her name while gushing about the encounter, prompting widespread ridicule.The clip was shared by independent journalist Barry Malone on X (formerly Twitter) and captioned, “She gave him her Nobel Prize and he forgot her name the next day. It couldn’t be more perfect. Pure comedy. 10/10 (sic).” The original video in Malone’s thread was tweeted by journalist Aaron Rupar, who had captioned it, “Trump: “I had a great meeting by a person who I have a lot of respect for. She has respect obviously for me and our country. And she gave me her Nobel Prize, but I’ll tell you what — I got to know her. I never met her before. And I was very very impressed. This is a fine woman.” (sic).”When the clip resurfaced of Trump praising Machado, recalling the honour but never quite remembering who she was, the Internet did what it does best: turned it into instant viral comedy. Journalists, commentators and casual scrollers alike seized on the moment, not just for the gaffe itself but for how perfectly it encapsulated Trump’s uncanny ability to turn even prestige into punchline.Within hours, the clip dominated timelines across X, Instagram and Facebook, with users celebrating it as an unintentional comedy moment while critics used it to question Trump’s memory and credibility ahead of ongoing political debates. Many users piled into the comments with mockery or disbelief, with some writing things like, “Taking someone else’s prize by force and bragging about it like it’s some kind of win is the most embarrassing thing he’s ever done. And the competition is strong obvs (sic)” and others comparing the moment to classic gaffes from historical political figures.

Did Trump actually forget her name?

The moment in question occurred during an interview with Fox News in which Trump was recounted meeting with 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado, although he did not name her in the clip itself. Trump’s narrative stressed respect and admiration for this unnamed woman, emphasising her achievements and suggesting the encounter was meaningful. However, forgetting her name or speaking about the encounter with vague, unanchored details, struck many viewers as a telling metaphor for what they see as a pattern of imprecision in Trump’s storytelling.