Trump links Norway criticism to Nobel Peace Prize decision
Donald Trump intensified his criticism of Norway on Sunday, using a vulgar expression to describe the country and declaring that Norwegian immigrants were unwelcome in the United States.
Speaking at a political rally in Port Huron, Michigan, ahead of the upcoming US midterm elections, Trump connected his remarks to the decision not to award him the Nobel Peace Prize.
During his speech, Trump discussed immigration and referred to unrest in France, which he attributed to immigration. He then said he would welcome immigrants from some countries but not from Norway.
“Because I didn't get the Nobel Prize ... So I don't want anybody from Norway,” Trump said.
He subsequently described Norway as a “shit house country”, using language he has previously directed at other countries, including Haiti, Libya, Somalia and Yemen.
The remarks marked another escalation in Trump's public criticism of Norway over the Nobel Peace Prize decision. However, the report did not indicate that the US administration was preparing any formal change to immigration rules specifically targeting Norwegian citizens.
Nobel decision becomes a source of diplomatic friction
Trump has repeatedly expressed frustration over not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, which is awarded by the Norwegian Nobel Committee in Oslo.
Earlier this month, he described the decision not to award him the prize as an “indelible stain” on Norway.
The latest comments again linked the award to his assessment of the country, despite the distinction between Norway's government and the independent committee responsible for selecting the Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee makes its decision through its established selection process. The award is not formally a decision of the Norwegian government, even though the committee is based in Norway.
Trump's remarks therefore brought the Nobel decision into his political messaging on immigration and international relations.
His comments also raised questions about how frustration over an international award can spill over into rhetoric directed at an entire country and its citizens.
No new immigration restrictions announced
Despite Trump's declaration that he did not want immigrants from Norway, there was no indication that the administration had announced a new policy restricting Norwegian nationals from entering the United States.
His remarks were made during a political rally and were not accompanied by a formal executive announcement or a stated change to existing immigration rules.
The distinction is important because public statements by political leaders do not automatically translate into changes in immigration policy. Any formal restriction would require the relevant government action and official clarification.
Norwegian citizens' eligibility to travel to or immigrate to the United States therefore cannot be determined solely from the President's comments at the rally.
The episode nevertheless highlights how immigration has remained a central theme in Trump's political messaging, including his use of country-specific examples to explain whom he says the United States should welcome.
Norway's economic standing contrasts with Trump's description
Norway is among the world's high-income economies, with a high level of gross domestic product per capita, according to International Monetary Fund data cited in the report.
The country's sovereign wealth fund also recorded a profit of 1.75 trillion Norwegian crowns, equivalent to approximately $184.3 billion, in the first half of 2026, according to the figures reported.
The fund invests Norway's petroleum revenues and is one of the world's largest sovereign wealth funds.
These economic indicators provide context for the country that Trump criticised, although they do not directly address the political disagreement surrounding the Nobel Peace Prize.
Norway has also maintained an international profile through its role in diplomacy, development assistance and multilateral institutions. Trump's description of the country was a political remark rather than an assessment based on a stated economic or institutional measure.
Norwegian officials yet to respond
Norway's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a representative of the Norwegian Nobel Committee had not immediately responded to requests for comment outside regular office hours, according to the report.
There was therefore no official Norwegian response available at the time of publication.
It also remained unclear whether the comments would prompt a formal diplomatic exchange between Washington and Oslo.
The distinction between the Nobel committee and the Norwegian government is likely to remain relevant to any response, given that the committee is responsible for selecting the laureate while the country's government is a separate institution.
Immigration rhetoric returns to the campaign trail
Trump's comments came as he addressed supporters in Michigan ahead of the midterm elections, using immigration as part of his wider political argument.
During the rally, he referred to unrest in France and connected it to immigration before contrasting his preferred sources of immigrants with Norway.
The remarks reflected his broader use of immigration as a campaign issue, while the Nobel Peace Prize dispute supplied a separate personal and diplomatic context for his criticism of Norway.
For now, the comments have not been accompanied by an announced immigration measure against Norwegian nationals. The immediate development is therefore a public escalation in rhetoric rather than a confirmed change in US policy.
Trump's latest remarks have once again brought the Nobel Peace Prize dispute into the political spotlight, while leaving questions about any diplomatic consequences unanswered.
