Tantrums do work.
Donald Trump made it clear this year that he passionately wanted the Nobel Peace Prize but he didn’t get it. And so Reuters notes: “Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado gave her Nobel Peace Prize medal to U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday during a White House meeting, in a bid to influence his efforts to shape her country’s political future.” And to the surprise and horror of some he accepted it. even though the Pulitzer committee let it be known that possessing the prize doesn’t mean he won it or is honored by it. Still, Trump wrote this in a social media post: “”Maria presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done. Such a wonderful gesture of mutual respect. Thank you Maria!”
Trump’s decision has sparked a flood of memes and ridicule on social media. Here’s a cross-section:
Missed this looks like it went well pic.twitter.com/N3snIpuRVl
— Adam Parkhomenko (@AdamParkhomenko) January 17, 2026
Give Pedo the trophy he really deserves.
Graphic courtesy: @PaulleyTicks pic.twitter.com/cSZqXDH9Sv
— Hoodlum ?? (@NotHoodlum) January 15, 2026
— Dr. Bendor Grosvenor ?? (@arthistorynews) January 16, 2026
“This is little Timmy, a true patriot. He gifted me his spelling bee trophy. He obviously loves our country and follows my posts on Truth Social.” — Senile Satan, trophy kleptomaniac pic.twitter.com/Xi6QGee8fI
— Hoodlum ?? (@NotHoodlum) January 16, 2026
??Así fue la entrega de su premio nobel de la arrastrada María Corina Machado a Donald Trump en la casa blanca, le fue no solo a entregar los rec. De Venezuela si no también su dignidad y las ?…????vergonzoso! pic.twitter.com/d2VJBWW0bl
— ????2??????? (@won2skel) January 16, 2026
I heard the Cleveland Browns will soon be handing Trump their Super Bowl trophy.
Oh wait, the Browns don’t have one. https://t.co/VCarSvnMZz
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) January 16, 2026
Trump awards latest pic.twitter.com/GLXwwnBcbZ
— ChrisO_wiki (@ChrisO_wiki) January 16, 2026
Geriatric baby ??? pic.twitter.com/boq8g1ImpX
— Taina?? (@TainatoSir) January 16, 2026
Incredible pic.twitter.com/cn9Z6cgjtj
— TheRealThelmaJohnson (@TheRealThelmaJ1) January 17, 2026
Congratulations to Donald Trump for winning the Stanley Cup! pic.twitter.com/VeRT7YL3OI
— TheRealThelmaJohnson (@TheRealThelmaJ1) January 17, 2026
Trump just stole a first grader’s Honor Roll award. This is getting ridiculous. pic.twitter.com/oTKUcRUqw3
— Meacham (@MeachamDr) January 16, 2026
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) January 16, 2026
The crazy bastard is at it again. ? pic.twitter.com/vIKBDHuK00
— Hoodlum ?? (@NotHoodlum) January 17, 2026
Trophies will be accepted tomorrow at the White House from 9–5. pic.twitter.com/s75dkvYCg4
— ? Brittany Belle ? (@BrittanyinTexas) January 17, 2026
Charles Lindbergh’s ghost has given Trump the DFC he earned for his solo Atlantic crossing. pic.twitter.com/NC9DGZibkw
— Meacham (@MeachamDr) January 17, 2026
Funny… except he’s broken all 10 of them. pic.twitter.com/aGcuJcwBRu
— ? Brittany Belle ? (@BrittanyinTexas) January 17, 2026
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.