A new promotional film by the Norwegian Armed Forces features a Muslim soldier praying to Allah – a move that has sparked a debate.
“The aim is to show that the Armed Forces need diversity,” says Gry Bohne Hauge of the Norwegian Armed Forces.
Both the Norwegian flag and the Islamic crescent are visible on the soldier’s uniform.
“Allah is the Greatest,” says the soldier in the film.
The same campaign video also features, amongst other things, a gay couple kissing and a man holding a toddler in his arms.
Gry Bohne Hauge, Head of Marketing and Public Relations at the Norwegian Ministry of Defence, defends this cultural-Marxist approach.
– “If we are prioritising love and faith, it is because these are fundamental rights and values that the armed forces are meant to protect for everyone living in Norway,” she tells Kampanje.
She also explains that the armed forces want to show that they are looking for personnel from diverse backgrounds.
– It’s about showing that the armed forces need diversity and should be a good place to work, no matter who you are, who you love or what you believe in, says Gry Bohne Hauge.
The recruitment film has been heavily criticised on social media. Journalist Espen Teigen from the conservative magazine “Document” writes in an X post that the campaign runs counter to Norwegian tradition.
“Enough is enough. Activists within the armed forces are mocking our ancestors, our culture and our history. ‘Allahu akbar’ and Islam are not part of the Norway we are defending. Our ancestors did not sacrifice their lives for this. Islam is the exact opposite of our values,” writes Teigen.
Nå får det være nok. Aktivister i Forsvaret spytter på våre forfedre, vår kultur og historie. «Allahu akbar» og islam er ikke en del av det Norge vi forsvarer. Det er ikke dette våre forfedre ofret livene sine for. Islam er selve motpolen til våre verdier. pic.twitter.com/e7B31keGo4
— Espen Teigen (@espenteigen) June 19, 2026