1. United States
2. Pa.
3. Letter

President Trump's acceptance of María Corina Machado's Nobel Peace Prize medal at the White House violates the Emoluments Clause of the United States Constitution. Article I, Section 9, Clause 8 explicitly prohibits federal officeholders from accepting "any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State" without Congressional consent. This medal, awarded by the Norwegian Nobel Committee and presented by a foreign political leader seeking official US recognition, constitutes a prohibited foreign emolument. Machado is actively lobbying the Trump administration to recognize her opposition coalition as Venezuela's legitimate government rather than the current acting head of state, Delcy Rodríguez. The medal presentation was not a casual gesture between private citizens but occurred during an official White House meeting where Machado sought to persuade Trump to reverse his policy of working with Rodríguez's interim government. The timing is significant: this gift was presented just weeks after US forces seized Nicolás Maduro in Caracas and as the administration negotiates a $500 million Venezuelan oil sale and embassy reopening. The Nobel Peace Center confirmed that while "a medal can change owners," this does not diminish its status as a prestigious international award with substantial monetary and symbolic value. Machado herself framed the gift in explicitly political terms, drawing parallels to historical diplomatic exchanges and telling supporters afterward "We can count on President Trump." This was a calculated attempt to influence US foreign policy through a valuable gift from a foreign political figure. I urge you to demand that President Trump immediately return this medal to Machado and seek Congressional approval if he wishes to retain it. The Emoluments Clause exists precisely to prevent foreign actors from using gifts to curry favor with American officials. Allowing this violation sets a dangerous precedent that undermines constitutional safeguards against foreign influence. The integrity of our constitutional system requires enforcement regardless of the political circumstances surrounding Venezuela.