Norwegian tourist claims U.S. denied him entry over JD Vance meme
21-year-old says his phone was searched, leading to questioning and deportation—U.S. authorities say it was due to drug use
A young Norwegian traveler says his trip to the U.S. ended before it began after border agents found a meme of Vice President JD Vance on his phone. Officials deny that the meme played any role, citing his “admitted drug use” instead.
Mads Mikkelsen, 21, thought he was headed for a fun vacation to New York and Texas to visit friends. Instead, he says U.S. border agents held him for 12 hours, questioned him about terrorism and extremism, and eventually sent him back to Oslo—all because of a satirical image saved on his phone.
The meme, which altered JD Vance’s head to look bald and egg-shaped, originated from a joke post on X in late 2024. It had circulated widely online and, according to Mads, ended up saved automatically from a chat app.
“I felt prejudged, suspected, and humiliated,” Mads told Norwegian outlet Nordlys. He added that agents threatened him with fines and jail unless he handed over his phone’s password.
After examining the contents, officials reportedly flagged two images: the meme of Vance and a photo of Mads holding a wooden pipe he’d made himself.
U.S. officials deny political motivation
In response to the claims, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) publicly denied that politics had anything to do with it.
“Fact Check: FALSE,” CBP posted on X, saying the decision was based on “admitted drug use,” not any meme.
The Department of Homeland Security echoed that statement: “Claims that Mads Mikkelsen was denied entry because of a meme are unequivocally FALSE.”
Despite the denials, Mads says the interrogation went far beyond standard procedure. He alleges that agents conducted a strip search, took blood samples, scanned his face and fingerprints, and kept him in a holding room for five hours without food or water.
Norwegian denied entry to the U.S. over meme about VP J.D. Vance, he says
A Norwegian man named Mads Mikkelsen — no relation to the Danish actor — says he was barred from entering the United States because border agents found a meme about Vice President J.D. Vance on his phone.… pic.twitter.com/Cq0kIHObix
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) June 25, 2025
“I just wanted to see my friends and travel with my mom through national parks,” he said. “Instead, I was locked up and humiliated.”
While U.S. law allows border agents to search digital devices without a warrant, such incidents raise questions about privacy for international travelers.
Norway’s Foreign Ministry has since advised citizens to be aware of U.S. rules—particularly regarding past admissions and phone content.
As for Mads, he’s back home in Oslo. The meme that may have contributed to his ordeal? Still circulating online.
