Norway joins list of countries Trump has abused

PORT HURON US President Donald Trump escalated his criticism of Norway, describing the country in vulgar terms and saying Norwegian immigrants were unwelcome in the United States because he had not received the Nobel Peace Prize. Trump made the remarks at a political rally in Port Huron, Michigan, ahead of next week’s midterm elections. He also blamed immigration for recent unrest in France, arguing that the United States should be selective about the countries from which it accepts immigrants. Trump said he would welcome immigrants from certain countries but exclude Norwegians because the Nobel Peace Prize had not been awarded to him. "So I don't want anybody from Norway," Trump said, linking his position to the decision not to recognise him with the prestigious international award. He subsequently described Norway as a "shit house country", using language he has previously directed at Haiti, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. His comments did not indicate that his administration was preparing to introduce any new official restrictions on Norwegian immigrants. Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide responded by emphasising the independence of the Nobel Committee, which is based in Oslo but operates independently of the Norwegian government. "He knows very well that the Nobel Committee is independent. We have reminded them of that, if anyone is wondering, and that is still the case," Eide told Norwegian broadcaster NRK on Monday. Norway's foreign ministry declined to comment further, while the Norwegian Nobel Committee did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Trump has repeatedly expressed frustration over being overlooked for the Nobel Peace Prize. Earlier this month, he described the decision as an "indelible stain" on Norway, continuing a dispute that has drawn attention to the distinction between the Norwegian government and the independent committee responsible for selecting the laureates. His latest remarks also contrasted sharply with Norway's economic standing. The Scandinavian country ranks among the world's highest-income nations by gross domestic product per capita, according to International Monetary Fund data.