President Donald Trump called Norway a "shithouse country" and said it "sucks" during a campaign rally in Port Huron, Michigan, on Sunday night, complaining that the Nobel Peace Prize committee has twice overlooked him.
Trump, who has claimed to have settled at least eight conflicts during his second term, said he was "not in love with Norway" after being passed over for the 2025 prize, which went to Venezuelan opposition figurehead María Corina Machado, and the 2026 prize, awarded to South African jurist Navi Pillay.
"What about me? Do they do two of them? So I'm not in love with Norway. Frankly, Norway sucks. Norway has become a shithouse country, actually," Trump said.
The remarks came as Trump was discussing immigration. He contrasted Norway with Denmark, saying: "We work with Denmark, good country, good nice country. Anybody that would like to come into our country from Denmark, I'm all for it. But I must tell you, from Somalia … I've had it with them. I've had it with them. I much prefer Denmark. Denmark, we'll take them. Sweden, Norway … I don't think so because I didn't get the Nobel Prize even though I ended it. So I don't want anybody from Norway. I don't want anything to do with Norway."
Trump also described a January White House meeting in which Machado gave him her Nobel medal. "And the person who got it, Maria, was very nice. She said, 'I can't believe I got it. This should go to President Trump,' and she gave me her Nobel Peace Prize, that was so nice. It was very nice. I won't forget that. It was very nice," he said.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The US president's attack on a NATO ally over a prize decision turns a diplomatic relationship into a campaign talking point, with potential consequences for alliance ties.
- Trump's remarks tie his Nobel grievance to immigration policy, indicating the issue may continue to surface in his public appearances.
- The Nobel committee's choices for 2025 and 2026 have now been publicly disputed by the president, making the award a recurring source of friction.
Background
The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded annually by a committee in Oslo, Norway. Trump has claimed credit for resolving multiple international conflicts during his second term and has now been passed over twice, in 2025 and 2026. The source reports that he raised the perceived snub during a Michigan campaign rally while discussing immigration.
What to Watch
- Whether Norwegian officials or the Nobel committee respond to the president's remarks.
- Whether Trump repeats the Norway criticism at future campaign events.
- Whether the dispute has any effect on US-Norway cooperation on shared security and diplomatic priorities.
Checked
9 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 9 supported.
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- SupportedTrump called Norway a “shithouse country” and said it “sucks.”Politico Europe: ““Frankly, Norway sucks. Norway has become a shithouse country, actually,””
- SupportedTrump made the remarks during a campaign rally speech in Port Huron, Michigan, on Sunday night.Politico Europe: “during a campaign rally speech in Port Huron, Michigan.”
- SupportedTrump had been passed over for the Nobel Peace Prize in both 2025 and 2026.Politico Europe: “he was passed over twice by the Oslo-based Nobel committee: in 2025 for María Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition figurehead; and in 2026 for South African jurist Navi Pillay”
- SupportedTrump said he was “not in love with Norway.”Politico Europe: ““What about me? Do they do two of them? So I’m not in love with Norway. Frankly, Norway sucks.”
- SupportedThe 2025 prize went to María Corina Machado and the 2026 prize went to Navi Pillay.Politico Europe: “in 2025 for María Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition figurehead; and in 2026 for South African jurist Navi Pillay”
- SupportedTrump claimed to have settled at least eight conflicts during his second term.Politico Europe: “claiming to have settled at least eight conflicts during his second term in office.”
- SupportedTrump said the remarks while railing about immigration and said he preferred Denmark and did not want anything to do with Norway.Politico Europe: “I much prefer Denmark. Denmark, we’ll take them. Sweden, Norway … I don’t think so because I didn’t get the Nobel Prize even though I ended it. So I don’t want anybody from Norway. I don’t want anything to do with Norway,” Trump said.”
- SupportedTrump recounted a January White House meeting in which Machado gave him her Nobel medal.Politico Europe: “the Venezuelan winner did present him with her medal during a meeting at the White House in January this year.”
- SupportedTrump quoted Machado as saying the Nobel should go to him, and said she gave him her Nobel Peace Prize.Politico Europe: “She said, ‘I can’t believe I got it. This should go to President Trump,’ and she gave me her Nobel Peace Prize”