Later that month, at a Texas security forum, Trump warned:
"Countries that don't support us don't deserve our support."
According to sources familiar with internal White House briefings, Norway was explicitly listed among the nations "failing to meet their responsibilities," alongside several Eastern European states.
A Strategic Drift -- or Something More?
Beneath the headlines lies a more troubling trend: strategic divergence. While Washington views Ukraine as a frontline in the global contest with authoritarianism, Oslo is increasingly consumed by domestic concerns: rising prices, social tensions, and deepening political fragmentation ahead of parliamentary elections this fall.
A recent Ipsos Norge poll shows the disconnect: 62% of Norwegians cite inflation as their top concern, followed by healthcare (52%). Just 17% view national security or Ukraine as top priorities.
This gap is bleeding into Parliament, where debates about foreign policy are now infused with what some analysts call "transatlantic blame politics" -- turning U.S. decisions into easy scapegoats for domestic problems. As Tormod Heier, a professor at Norway's Defence University College, put it:
"If you can't fix hospitals or tame inflation, blame Trump. He's loud, distant, and polarizing. The perfect distraction."
Economic Friction, Strategic Confusion
Tensions are also rising over trade. In February, The Financial Times reported that the Trump administration was preparing new tariffs on German cars -- a move condemned in Berlin. Norway hasn't been spared either. Its exports of rare-earth minerals and seafood are now subject to steep tariffs under Washington's so-called "trade rebalancing" push.
Oslo sees it as economic aggression. Washington calls it fair competition. But one thing is clear: trust is eroding -- and fast.
Europe's Real Test: Strategic Maturity
Not all of Europe is following Norway's path. French President Emmanuel Macron and EU Commission head Ursula von der Leyen have called for greater "strategic autonomy," but without veering into anti-Americanism. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has described U.S. trade policy as "aggressively pragmatic," while urging Europe to respond with resilience, not resentment.
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