Norway has responded with wit rather than outrage after US President Donald Trump reportedly described the Scandinavian nation as a "shithouse country" while expressing frustration over not being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Instead of issuing a formal rebuke, the country's official tourism body, Visit Norway, transformed the remark into an unconventional marketing campaign highlighting architect-designed public toilets set against some of Norway's most spectacular natural landscapes.
According to reports, Trump made the comments during a political rally in Michigan, where he criticised Norway and linked his frustration to the decision by the Norwegian Nobel Committee not to award him this year's peace prize.
'Making toilets great again'
Visit Norway responded by publishing a collection of images featuring public toilets overlooking fjords, mountains and dramatic coastal scenery.
"So, we heard some noise about the 'shithouse country'," the tourism agency wrote, before adding that Norway boasts some of the world's most spectacular toilets.
The campaign also featured a playful nod to Trump's famous political slogan, declaring:
"Norway is making toilets great again."
Among the featured attractions was the so-called Golden Toilet on the island of Senja, one of several architect-designed facilities promoted as tourist attractions in their own right.
Left: President Trump insults Norway calling it a sh*thouse country Right: Visit Norway, the tourism board, trolls President Trump, displaying some of their best toilets on their Instagram 😅 My view: Trump chose to insult Norway. Visit Norway answered with humour, confidence and a showcase of its most beautiful loos. That’s how you turn an insult into an invitation. Congratulations to Norway for responding with such grace - and giving us another reason to visit. I've never been to Norway, but this is just another reason to visit 😁
— Farrukh (@implausibleblog) October 26, 2026
Humour over confrontation
Speaking to Norwegian public broadcaster NRK, Evgenia Egorova, a senior adviser at Visit Norway, said an effective response does not always require confrontation and that a combination of self-deprecating humour and good architecture can often speak for itself.
The campaign also drew praise from Jens Kjeldsen, a rhetoric professor at the University of Bergen, who argued that humour can weaken the impact of offensive statements by refusing to engage with them on their own terms.
No change in US policy
Despite Trump's comments, reports noted there has been no indication of any change in US immigration policy towards Norwegian citizens.
What began as a verbal attack ultimately provided Norway with an unexpected tourism opportunity, turning an insult into a viral campaign that drew international attention to some of the country's most unusual attractions.
Source: The Independent, AFP
