Norwegian diplomat Mona Juul has stepped down as ambassador to Jordan and Iraq. The resignation comes after revelations from the Epstein files revealing ties to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Norway's Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide called the decision right and necessary.
Mona Juul, one of Norway's most prominent diplomats, has resigned due to her connections to Jeffrey Epstein. The Norwegian Foreign Ministry in Oslo announced that Juul was suspended following the initiation of investigations and then voluntarily stepped down from her role as ambassador to Jordan and Iraq. Her lawyer emphasized that she will fully cooperate in the clarification.
Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide stated: "Juul's contact with Jeffrey Epstein revealed a serious failure of judgment. The case makes it difficult to restore the trust necessary for the role." He described the resignation as "right and necessary".
Juul and her husband, former top diplomat Terje Rød-Larsen, came under pressure after new Epstein files were released. According to Norwegian media reports, their two children are named in Epstein's will for a total of ten million dollars, which he allegedly signed shortly before his death in 2019 while in custody. Juul met Epstein in a diplomatic context and had only minimal contact afterward, which she deeply regrets. Rød-Larsen distanced himself in 2020 and called his contact a "serious misjudgment". Reports indicate he had a personal financial relationship with Epstein.
Juul was instrumental in the Oslo Peace Accords of the 1990s. The Foreign Ministry is currently investigating the extent of her knowledge about Epstein and possible further consequences. She remains employed by the ministry for now.
The Epstein scandal has international repercussions. In Norway, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, former Prime Minister Thorbjørn Jagland, and Børge Brende also appear in the files. Epstein died in 2019 in custody, charged with human trafficking and abuse of minors.
