On 25 October, during a campaign rally in Michigan, US President Donald Trump sharply criticised Norway, calling it a «shithole country». The reason for his outrage was that the American leader had not been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Trump also stated that he did not want to see Norwegian immigrants in the United States.
- Trump made derogatory remarks about Norway at a rally on 25 October in the state of Michigan.
- He cited the absence of a Nobel Peace Prize amongst his awards as the reason.
- The US President has stated that he does not wish to accept immigrants from Norway.
What Trump said about Norway
During a speech on 25 October in Port Huron, Michigan, Donald Trump stated that he no longer wished to have anything to do with Norway. The American president linked his stance on the country to the decision by the Norwegian the Nobel Committee, which did not award him the Peace Prize.
Speaking on the subject of immigration, Trump noted that he was prepared to accept people from certain countries, but not from Norway. He explained his position by saying that he had not received the award he had hoped for.
The President also used the crude expression “shit house country” in reference to Norway, which can be translated as «a shithole country». He has previously used similar offensive language when referring to other countries.
According to Reuters, despite Trump’s comments, there are no signs that new immigration restrictions are being introduced against Norwegian citizens. These were remarks made during a political rally, rather than a decision taken by the US authorities.
Why is Trump blaming Norway?
Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that he deserves Nobel Peace Prize thanks to his diplomatic efforts. In particular, he claims to have helped bring eight wars to an end.
On 9 October, following the announcement of this year’s laureate, the US President described the decision not to award him the prize as an indelible stain on Norway’s reputation. He also criticised the committee’s decision and stated that his peacemaking achievements had gone unrecognised.
At the same time, the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by the independent Norwegian Nobel Committee, which consists of five members. The Norwegian Government does not decide on the winner, although the members of the committee are appointed by the Norwegian Parliament.
The Norwegian Prime Minister had previously explained this difference to Trump Jonas Gar Støre, when the US President had already expressed his dissatisfaction at not having received the award.
Has Norway responded to the US President’s statement?
The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and representatives of the Norwegian Nobel Committee have not commented on Trump’s latest remarks.
The US President’s offensive remarks were made in the run-up to the US mid-term congressional elections. The rally in Michigan was held to show support for Republican candidates.
