Norway Pushes Back After Trump Calls Country "Shithouse" Over Nobel Peace Prize Snub

Norway has rejected Donald Trump's renewed criticism of the country over his failure to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, with its foreign minister and the Norwegian Nobel Committee stressing that the award is decided independently of the government.

The response followed a campaign rally in Michigan on Sunday, where the U.S. president described Norway as a "shithouse country" and said he wanted nothing to do with its people after being passed over for the 2026 prize.

Norway Insists Nobel Decision Is Independent

Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide responded on Monday, October 26, by emphasizing that Norwegian authorities have no role in selecting the Nobel Peace Prize recipient.

"He knows very well that the Nobel Committee is independent. We have reminded him of that, if anyone is wondering, and that is still the case," Eide told Norwegian broadcaster NRK.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee separately rejected any suggestion of government involvement.

"The Nobel Committee is completely independent of the Norwegian authorities. The committee has no further comments on the president's remarks," its communications chief, Erik Aasheim, told Dagbladet.

The Norwegian foreign ministry declined additional comment. Eide also emphasized the importance of Norway's longstanding relationship with the U.S., while indicating that Oslo would not devote extensive attention to campaign rhetoric.

Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre had not issued a new public response specifically addressing Trump's October 25 comments as of Monday.

Trump Turns On Norway Over Nobel Snub

Trump's criticism came during an October 25 campaign appearance at McMorran Place in Port Huron, Michigan, ahead of the November 3 U.S. midterm elections.

During remarks on immigration, the president shifted from discussing European and African countries to his grievances over the Nobel Peace Prize.

"I'm not in love with Norway. Frankly, Norway sucks. Norway has become a shithouse country, actually," Trump told supporters.

He then explicitly linked his opposition to Norwegian immigration to the Nobel decision, saying he no longer wanted people from the Scandinavian country entering the U.S.

The president also repeated his claim to have resolved eight wars and criticized the decision to award the prize to someone he characterized as largely unknown.

There was no indication that his remarks represented a formal change in U.S. immigration policy toward Norwegian citizens.

From Praising Norway To Attacking It In 24 Hours

The attack marked a sharp reversal from Trump's position just one day earlier.

At an October 24 rally in Perry, Georgia, the president had presented Norway, Sweden and Denmark as desirable sources of immigration to the U.S.

He questioned why the country accepted migrants from places he disparaged rather than attracting more people from wealthy Nordic nations.

By Sunday, Norway had moved from being an example of Trump's preferred immigration model to the target of his criticism, with the Nobel decision providing the stated reason for the change.

His latest remarks also echoed language he previously directed at Haiti, Libya, Somalia and Yemen.

Nobel Dispute Extends Beyond Latest Remarks

The confrontation dates back to the October 9 announcement that the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize would go to Navi Pillay, 85, in recognition of her work advancing international law and peace.

Trump reacted angrily to the announcement, describing the decision as an embarrassment for Norway and questioning the credibility of the award.

He also warned that Norway would not be forgotten over the outcome.

The dispute had already entered diplomatic exchanges earlier in the year.

In January, during tensions involving Greenland and U.S. tariffs, Trump told Støre that Norway's failure to award him the prize had changed how he viewed his obligations toward international peace.

Støre responded by explaining that the five members of the Nobel Committee are appointed by Norway's parliament but make their decisions independently of the government.

The Norwegian prime minister also reiterated his country's support for Denmark in the Greenland dispute.

The latest controversy follows another unusual episode in the Nobel debate. María Corina Machado, the previous year's Peace Prize recipient, subsequently presented her medal to Trump.

Oslo Talks Highlight Continuing Diplomatic Engagement

The criticism has emerged despite Norway's continuing involvement in diplomacy concerning the war in Ukraine.

Around October 20-21, Oslo hosted discussions involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Støre, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and U.S. representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

The meetings formed part of diplomatic efforts involving Washington and Kyiv, illustrating Norway's continuing role in discussions connected to U.S. foreign policy.

Norway is also a NATO ally and a major European producer of oil and natural gas. Its sovereign wealth fund holds approximately $2.3 trillion in assets.

The Norwegian government has so far maintained a restrained public response to Trump's latest remarks, concentrating on the Nobel Committee's constitutional and institutional separation from political authorities rather than engaging directly with the president's language.