Met with Governor Walz in Minnesota
Minnesota is one of the states in the United States where a large proportion of the population has Norwegian ancestry. His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon is therefore also visiting this state and its largest metropolitan area, Minneapolis–Saint Paul, during his trip to the United States to mark the 200th anniversary of Norwegian emigration to the US.
October 8, 2025
In Minnesota, Governor Tim Walz welcomed Crown Prince Haakon, Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide, and Minister of Trade and Industry Cecilie Myrseth at the Minnesota State Capitol. The discussions focused on the strong ties between Minnesota and Norway, as well as priorities and initiatives in both defence and business. Tim Walz has served as governor, and thus head of state, since 2019. He was also Kamala Harris’ vice-presidential candidate during the 2024 presidential campaign.
Among the topics discussed, Governor Walz and the Norwegian delegation talked about the more than 50-year-long cooperation between the Minnesota National Guard and the Norwegian Home Guard, which is the longest such partnership between the United States and any other country.
Following the meeting with Governor Walz, The Crown Prince, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Minister of Trade and Industry proceeded to meet with the Minnesota National Guard. The aim of the meeting was to emphasise the importance of the strong ties between Minnesota and Norway and to further strengthen the long-standing cooperation.
Hockey as a community builder
The ice hockey team Minnesota Wild has, in recent years, built itself up as a team competing in the world’s premier ice hockey league, the American National Hockey League (NHL), and Norway’s most famous ice hockey player, Mats Zuccarello, plays for the team. The Crown Prince visited a youth ice hockey training session for boys and girls, organised by the DinoMights organisation, alongside Zuccarello.
DinoMights works to provide children and young people in Minneapolis with homework help, guidance, and social interaction through ice hockey.
Norwegian investments create jobs in the US
The United States is one of Norway’s most important trading partners, and the US is a key market for Norwegian businesses. At the same time, Norwegian investments are creating economic growth and local jobs in the United States. There are around 230 Norwegian-controlled companies in the United States, employing nearly 20,000 people and generating approximately NOK 280 billion in revenue, primarily in energy, oil, and gas.
During the Crown Prince’s visit to Minnesota, a business conference was held at Norway House in Minneapolis. This centre serves as both a cultural and business hub – a focal point for all aspects of Norwegian business efforts in the United States. The Crown Prince opened the business conference, and then inaugurated Norway House’s new interactive centre, the Saga Center, where visitors can explore their connections to Norway or delve deeper into Norwegian-American art, culture, and history.
