Norway's PM visits Trump

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Norway tamed Trump at home - Norway's News in English — www.newsinenglish.no

US President Donald Trump, flanked at right by top cabinet members including US Secretary of State Maco Rubio, posed with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg at the White HOuse on Thursday. In the center is Anniken Huitfeldt, Støre’s former foreign minister who now serves as Norway’s ambassador to the US, and who helped bring the meeting together. PHOTO: Daniel Sannum Lauten/Pool/TV2/SMK

It’s unusual for an ultra-conservative politician like Trump to be so welcoming to leaders of a government with such different egalitarian and social democratic values as Norway’s. Social democracy is not high on Trump’s agenda, yet he called it an “honour” to host his guests form Norway, now one of the wealthiest countries in the world because it’s saved and invested proceeds from its offshore oil and gas industry.

Their conversation quickly moved over to Russia’s war on Ukraine, with the Norwegians seeking ongoing support for Ukraine and making it clear that it was Russia that attacked and invaded Ukraine and that such aggression must be stopped. “We need to have a ceasefire, and on that we will work together,” Støre said.

Despite the disagreements, Trump claimed the US “has a good relation” with Norway, “maybe better than ever.” Støre invited Trump to visit Norway and Trump described Norway as “beautiful and well-run.” Støre told reporters later that “it’s important to spend time talking to the US,” before he flew back to Oslo in time for the weekly Council of State with King Harald V at the Royal Palace, and could heave a sigh of relief.

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Gave Trump a picture of King Harald as a child: – Wanted to remind him of the long lines

Photo: Daniel Sannum Lauten / Pool / TV 2 / SMK

WASHINGTON DC (E24): Donald Trump reportedly asked “many questions” about King Harald, says Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

Heads of state visiting the White House traditionally bring a gift for the sitting president.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre is of course no exception, and in the diplomatic spirit, Støre’s gift choice is packed with symbolism: A photograph of the then Prince Harald feeding President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s dog Fala in the United States.

Part of the Royal family lived in Washington, DC, and partly in the White House, from Prince Harald was 3 years old until he turned 8.
– The gift is a children’s picture, simply put, and a letter from me to Trump that tells that story, which is an expression of the historical friendship between Norway and the USA, says Støre to E24.

And the “icebreaker” worked well, the Prime Minister admits.
– That’s what it was supposed to be, to remind us of the long lines, he says about whether the picture was a conversation starter, as it is called in Norwegian.

Source: Ga Trump et bilde av kong Harald som barn: – Ville minne om de lange linjene – E24

PS>It was the Crown Prinsess and her kids who lived in USA during 1941-45.
They left Norway from Tromsø in June 1940, after a dramatic escape from Oslo and a hazardos jourey by train, car and boat, when the Germans attacked Norway 9th April 1940. They were first in London, before being invited to stay with President Rosewelt.
The King and Crown Prince stayed in London for the duration of the war, together with the Norwegian Goverment in exsile that lead the Norwegian war effort from there.