Norwegian Ambassador Mona Juul Resigns Following Scrutiny Over Past Links to Jeffrey Epstein
Mona Juul, Norway’s Ambassador to Iraq and Jordan, has resigned from her post following renewed scrutiny regarding her previous associations with the late disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. The resignation marks a significant conclusion to a controversy that has shadowed the veteran diplomat’s career for several years.
Juul, a prominent figure in international diplomacy known for her pivotal role in the Oslo Accords alongside her husband, Terje Rød-Larsen, faced mounting pressure to step down after details of her interactions with Epstein resurfaced. While the immediate catalyst for her resignation remains the subject of internal diplomatic discourse, the decision comes against a backdrop of long-standing inquiries into the nature of her meetings with the convicted sex offender.
Background investigations reveal that the controversy centers on meetings that took place between 2011 and 2016. During this period, Juul and Rød-Larsen met with Epstein at his Manhattan residence. At the time, Rød-Larsen was the president of the International Peace Institute (IPI), a think tank that received substantial funding from Epstein’s foundations. The scrutiny intensified after it was revealed that Epstein had facilitated a personal loan of $130,000 to the couple, a financial entanglement that critics argued compromised their diplomatic neutrality and judgment.
While Rød-Larsen resigned from the IPI in October 2020 following revelations of the institute’s financial ties to Epstein, Juul had previously managed to retain her diplomatic standing. In prior statements, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs admitted that Juul had exercised “poor judgment” in meeting with Epstein but initially concluded that she had not violated formal diplomatic guidelines. Juul herself had previously apologized, characterizing the meetings as “unwise” while maintaining they were conducted under the belief that Epstein was seeking to support humanitarian efforts and the Middle East peace process.
Opposing voices within the diplomatic community have long argued that the initial clearance by the Foreign Ministry was insufficient given the gravity of Epstein’s crimes and the reputational risk to Norway. Critics contended that a senior diplomat representing national interests should have maintained a stricter distance from a figure already controversial at the time of the meetings. Conversely, supporters of Juul have argued that her resignation deprives Norway of one of its most experienced envoys, suggesting that her professional record—spanning decades of high-level conflict resolution—should be weighed against errors in judgment regarding a private financial matter that occurred years prior.
Juul has not yet issued a detailed public statement regarding her future plans following the resignation. The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is expected to appoint an interim successor to the mission in Iraq and Jordan immediately.
