Norway’s ambassador-designate to Jordan and Iraq, Mona Juul, has stepped aside from assuming her post as authorities investigate her family’s ties to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, following the release of millions of previously sealed documents linked to his case.
The move comes after the US Department of Justice on Friday released around three million documents related to Epstein’s investigation, revealing extensive contact between Epstein and Juul and her husband, former UN diplomat Terje Rød-Larsen.
The documents also show that Epstein left $10 million to the couple’s children just two days before his death in 2019.
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Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide confirmed that Juul will not take up her ambassadorial duties in Jordan and Iraq until the matter has been fully clarified. Speaking to public broadcaster NRK, Eide said the government was awaiting the outcome of further assessments before deciding on next steps.
Juul said she welcomed scrutiny and pledged full transparency. In a statement to Norwegian news agency NTB, she said her interactions with Epstein were private and connected to her husband’s relationship with the financier. She added that, in retrospect, she should have exercised greater caution.
“In light of what has emerged through the so-called ‘Epstein documents,’ I want to be completely open about my contact with Jeffrey Epstein,” Juul said.
The revelations have sparked political backlash in Norway. Guri Melby, leader of the Venstre party, called for Juul’s resignation, questioning the credibility of her explanation and warning that the controversy risked undermining public trust in the country’s diplomatic service.
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