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OSLO, Feb. 8: Norway’s Ambassador to Jordan, Mona Juul, has resigned following disclosures regarding her past contact with U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Sunday.
Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide described the resignation as “right and necessary,” stating that Juul’s association with the convicted sex offender represented a serious lapse in judgment and undermined the level of trust required for diplomatic service. Juul had been temporarily relieved of her duties last week pending a review of her knowledge of and interactions with Epstein.
The ministry said its internal fact-finding process will continue despite her resignation, with particular focus on the regulations governing state employees and officials serving both domestically and abroad.
In a related development, the ministry has initiated a review of grants and institutional contacts with the International Peace Institute during the period when Juul’s husband, Terje Rød-Larsen, led the organization. Eide described emerging information regarding Rød-Larsen’s contact with Epstein as “extensive” and “highly concerning,” noting that it reflected poor judgment.
Epstein, who died in 2019 while facing federal charges, had been accused of sex trafficking. On January 30, the U.S. Department of Justice released more than three million additional pages of documents under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, reportedly signed into law in November 2025.
Separately, Norway’s economic and environmental crime authority, Økokrim, has opened an investigation into former Prime Minister Thorbjørn Jagland on suspicion of aggravated corruption, based on information contained in the released files.