Norway answers Trump's insult with a campaign showcasing its toilet architecture

Norway's national tourism board, Visit Norway, has responded with humour to crude remarks by US President Donald Trump about the Scandinavian country. It has taken the "shithouse" label and used it to draw attention to the architecture and design of Norway's public toilets, publishing photos of the most distinctive examples on its website and social media.

What Trump said

Trump made the comments at a campaign-style rally in the US state of Michigan. He again complained about not being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and said that, because of this, he does not want to take in immigrants from Norway. "Because I didn't get the Nobel Prize. So I don't want anybody from Norway," he said, adding that Norway "has become a shithouse country". He has used similar descriptions before when speaking about Haiti, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. According to the news agency AFP, Trump has repeatedly expressed displeasure with the Nobel committee's decisions.

The tourism board's reply

Visit Norway added an ironic question to its website feature: "Are these the best shithouses in the world?" Its statement read: "Norway makes shithouses great again!" The organisation said the sites are worth visiting not only when someone actually needs a toilet, but also simply to enjoy the surrounding scenery. On Instagram, the photos carry a caption saying the country has some of the most beautiful and impressive toilets in the world.

Many of the facilities stand along Norway's scenic tourist routes and offer views of fjords, mountains and water. Particular attention was given to the toilet at the Stegastein viewing platform in the Sognefjord region of western Norway. Its design lets visitors enjoy the panorama while remaining invisible from outside. According to the tourism organisation, the design and architecture publication DesignCurial once included the building in a list of the world's ten best public toilets. The list also features the Tungeneset toilet and the triangular "Golden Toilet" on the island of Senja, which Visit Norway joked is a good alternative for those who cannot afford a gold-plated toilet seat.

A Visit Norway representative told the Norwegian public broadcaster NRK that sometimes a response to an insult needs nothing more than a little self-irony and good Norwegian architecture. The board chose not to join the political dispute.