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WaPo: Trump Didn’t Back Venezuelan Opposition Leader Over Jealousy Over Nobel Peace Prize

As we reported last October, liberals were thrilled to see that anyone but President Donald Trump was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The award went to Maria Corina Machado "for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy." The haters were silenced when Machado dedicated her Nobel Peace Prize to the people of Venezuela and to Trump for his support of their freedom.

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Trump hasn't officially backed Machado to be the next leader of Venezuela, and according to The Washington Post via MeidasTouch, two people "close to the White House" say Trump hasn't backed her because she didn't insist on the prize going to him.

"… ultimate sin."

Who'd be dumb enough to believe that? Chuck Todd, step right up.

According to two people close to the White House.

Never Trumpers were certain the president was stomping his feet when he learned he didn't win the Nobel.

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The New York Times reports on the "diss":

Behind the scenes, Mr. Trump came to his conclusion based on several crucial factors, including U.S. intelligence that suggested the opposition would have trouble leading the government, and a souring relationship between Ms. Machado and top Trump officials, according to five people with knowledge of his decision-making.

“I think it would be very tough for her to be the leader,” Mr. Trump said over the weekend, after the mission ended with Mr. Maduro in U.S. custody. “She doesn’t have the support within, or the respect within, the country. She’s a very nice woman, but she doesn’t have the respect.”

The president had been persuaded by arguments from senior officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said that if the United States tried to back the opposition, it could further destabilize the country and require a more robust military presence inside the country. A classified C.I.A. intelligence analysis reflected that view, as well, according to a person familiar with the document.

For Mr. Trump, the focus in Venezuela is oil, not promoting democracy.

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Yep, that's The New York Times.

Sources close to the White House also claim that Delta Force was deployed to physically take the Nobel from Machado's hands, and the capture of Nicolás Maduro was just a deflection.

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