Trump, Zelensky Clash Spurs Norwegian Company to Boycott Fueling US Navy

A Norwegian oil and shipping company, Haltbakk Bunkers, said it will not deliver fuel to the U.S. Navy following Friday’s Oval Office clash between President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Despite the move, Norway’s defense minister reassured that American forces won’t face disruption, stating they will “continue to receive the supply and support they require from Norway.”

Newsweek has reached out to Norway’s Defense Ministry, Haltbakk Bunkers, and the Pentagon for comment via email on Sunday morning.

Why It Matters

The unprecedented Oval Office meeting, which turned into a fiery exchange, has drawn widespread attention, with some Trump supporters praising how the president handled the situation, while others expressed concern, and many international leaders and Democrats criticized the president and voiced their support for Zelensky and Ukraine.

Under the Biden administration, Zelensky was a close U.S. ally. Since taking office, however, Trump has called him a “dictator,” and falsely claimed Ukraine started the war with Russia.

Haltbakk Bunkers’ decision to cut ties with the U.S. Navy marks one of the first international acts of economic and political resistance against Trump, particularly on his stance on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

What To Know

On Friday, a fiery exchange took place between Trump, Vance, and Zelensky, which was a striking moment of open antagonism in the Oval Office, a space typically reserved for formal diplomacy. The moment highlighted Trump’s shifted approach to the war, now in its third year.

Many European and international leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, immediately released statements in support of Kyiv and Zelensky, who was repeatedly cut off and told he was being “disrespectful” during the meeting.

Haltbakk Bunkers, a private Norwegian marine fuel supplier owned by Gunnar Gran, posted a statement calling out Trump and Vance, writing that the exchange was “the biggest sh**show ever presented ‘live on TV’ by the current American president and his vice president.” The post has since been deleted and the company’s Facebook page is now private, with screenshots of the post circulating on social media.

The company then applauded Zelensky, writing, “Huge credit to the president of Ukraine (for) restraining himself and for keeping calm even though the USA put on a backstabbing TV show. It made us sick. As a result, we have decided to immediate STOP as fuel provider to American forces in Norway and their ships calling Norwegian ports. ‘No Fuel to Americans!'”

The post also encouraged other Norwegian and European companies to follow suit.

In an interview with the local outlet Kystens Næringsliv, Gran said the company has barred dealings with Russians since the country’s February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. He said the decision cost the company revenue but was made because “we have a moral compass.”

Gran also told Kystens Næringsliv, “not a liter will be delivered until Trump is finished,” noting that the company supplied around 3 million liters of fuel to U.S. ships in 2024.

Norway’s defense minister, Tore O. Sandvik, released a statement on Sunday regarding the matter, saying: “We have seen reports raising concerns about support for U.S. Navy vessels in Norway. This is not in line with the Norwegian government’s policy.”

He added: “The U.S. and Norway maintain a close and strong defense cooperation. American forces will continue to receive the supply and support they require from Norway.” Norway is one of the founding members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

What People Are Saying

The X, formerly Twitter, account “Republicans Against Trump” wrote on Saturday: “WOW. After yesterday’s Oval Office ambush of President Zelensky, Haltbakk Bunkers, one of Norway’s leading marine fuel providers, announced that it will no longer refuel U.S. Navy vessels, urging other European firms to follow suit. The United States is weaker and more isolated than ever.”

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, wrote on X on Friday: “President Trump and Vice President Vance will put America First every single time. Putting Zelensky in his place while he disrespects the U.S. in the Oval Office is exactly what American leadership should look like. This is what We The People want to see!”

Bill Madden, a musician with almost 300,000 followers, wrote in a Saturday X post: “After Trump’s appalling behavior w/ Zelensky during their meeting in the Oval Office, Norway’s Haltbakk Bunkers will no longer provide fuel to U.S. forces overseas. America’s allies are having ZERO tolerance for Trump’s fascism and his love of murderous dictator Putin.”

Ed Krassenstein, an anti-Trump influencer with 1 million followers on X shared a screenshot of Haltbakk Bunkers’ post on Saturday, writing: “Trump is making America the adversary of our allies and the ally of our adversaries.”

What Happens Next?

U.S.-Ukrainian relations remain fragile after the clash. Zelensky left the White House without signing a much-touted deal that would allow the U.S. to have access and mine Ukraine’s rare earth mineral deposits, one of the original impetus’ for the meeting.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Britain and France have agreed to work with Ukraine on a ceasefire plan to present to the U.S. Starmer’s announcement comes as European leaders, along with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, NATO chief Mark Rutte, and Turkey’s foreign minister Hakan Fidan, gather in London to discuss ending the Russia-Ukraine war.