Wanting more Northern European Immigrants
Partial of a recent immigration article in Newsweek.
“Trump said he wants more Nordic immigrants. (A) Norwegian man’s reply goes viral,” (Newsweek):
In reply to President Trump’s request for more northern European immigrants coming to the United states? One northern European said in reply to immigrating to the United States . . .
Lund: “I saw the comments Trump made about wanting more Norwegians and I just did the math. When you compare five weeks of vacation and a year of maternity leave to the American system, the offer is a joke. I’m not trying to be mean. I’m just looking at the benefits package.”
On December 12, Lund took to his Threads account @chrislundartist where he wrote in a now-viral post:
“Trump said he wants more immigrants from Norway. I have reviewed the offer, and I have to decline.
“The benefits package is terrible. You offer two weeks of vacation if we are lucky; we get five. Your maternity leave is ‘good luck,’ while we get a year. Your healthcare plan is GoFundMe, while ours is free. And your safety plan is just ‘thoughts and prayers.’
“Moving to the US right now feels like leaving a spa to go work in a burning hot dog stand. Thanks, but we will stay in the snow.”
Lund told Newsweek he has previously visited the States, where he has met “some truly amazing, welcoming people,” and “in the past, the idea of moving was actually on the table.”
Now, however, he says from where he’s standing,
“The U.S. looks less like a dream destination and more like a cautionary tale. I’ve realized I much prefer free healthcare and a life that doesn’t revolve entirely around surviving the latest political crisis.”
My ancestors moved here from Norway in the early to mid-1800s, during the final cold of the Little Ice Age. Having read Lund’s excellent takedown, I’m wondering if, at age 69 and just retired, I should move “back”.
What a classic!
John:
My brothers and sister and I are all eligible for Italian citizenship. It has been a thought for the last few years. We may just yet do such. I’m old, well educated, and X-Military. Maybe it is time for a change?
We have been working on this for the last year or so.
Thank you for this, Bill… there are few things more motivational than seeing someone else do something you’re thinking of doing. My daughter is eligible for German citizenship (her mom is German) and is completely fluent in the language, which also helps.
@John,
My daughter (an immigration attorney) and her family are moving to Halifax Nova Scotia in April. It’s possible that once they’re established as Canadian citizens, we would be allowed to follow them. Not my favorite choice, but I’d consider it.
If AMOC collapses and the Arctic moves to the North Sea Norway will be the Arctic
The one place up north that won’t have palm trees …
Thanks for the best laugh of 2026, so far! And exactly where are those Scandinavians going to come from?
Nordic fertility rates in steady decline
https://unric.org/en/family-day-nordic-fertility-rates-in-steady-decline/
Lund is entitled to his opinions, but I think the perspective is not very novel as you’ll always and everywhere find people with no interest in emigrating. I don’t pretend to read his mind, but I took Trump’s comments much more as about which immigrants are most likely to benefit our country than which might be interested in coming. Anyway, Norway is considered a “high trust” society, which feels like a pretty good criterion to focus on, at least at a high-level of source countries to encourage. If immigrants are useful to our country then I would like to prioritize high trust countries versus low trust countries. If we need big inflows, you may as well start by “playing the odds”. Lund can stay where he is , but maybe 4000 or 5000 Norwegians want to be Texans. Let’s find out.