Epstein Files Reveal Derogatory Remark by Norwegian Diplomat Terje Rød-Larsen on Indians

According to the documents, Epstein had forwarded Larsen an email from an Indian leader. In his response, Larsen allegedly wrote a deeply offensive line comparing Indians unfavourably to snakes. The email has triggered sharp reactions on social media, particularly after images of Larsen with Epstein resurfaced online. The context in which the remark was made, and what prompted it, remain unclear from the documents released so far.

Terje Rød-Larsen is a well-known Norwegian diplomat who served in senior international roles, including as president of the International Peace Institute (IPI) in New York and in various capacities at the United Nations. He has not publicly commented on the specific email since the documents became public. Requests for his response on Epstein-related matters in recent years have largely gone unanswered.

The same tranche of files also sheds light on Larsen’s broader interactions with Epstein. In a separate disclosure, Larsen reportedly sent Epstein a detailed email in 2013 outlining a meeting between Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and then-Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The email discussed Pakistan’s polio eradication efforts and Sharif’s vision for expanding science, technology, and IT-sector employment.

Larsen’s association with Epstein has been under scrutiny since 2020, when he resigned from the International Peace Institute after it emerged that the organisation had received funding from entities linked to Epstein. Subsequent reports revealed that Larsen had also taken a personal loan of about $130,000 from Epstein and accepted roughly $650,000 in donations routed through Epstein-connected organisations. Larsen later apologised to the IPI board and colleagues, acknowledging what he described as a serious lapse in judgment.

Politically, Larsen has been linked to Norway’s Labour Party and previously served as a minister in the 1990s, resigning in 1996 over a tax-related issue. Despite setbacks, he went on to hold influential international positions until his resignation in 2020.

The fresh revelations have renewed scrutiny of Epstein’s extensive global network and the conduct of public figures associated with him. While the released files do not indicate any criminal charges against Larsen, the offensive nature of the remark attributed to him has raised questions about accountability, diplomatic conduct, and the broader implications of the Epstein disclosures.