Børge Brende ate sushi at Jeffrey Epstein’s home just three weeks before the latter’s arrest. The two continued texting right up until days before the arrest. This means that Norway’s former foreign minister and current CEO of the World Economic Forum was likely the last Norwegian to meet Epstein while he was still alive.

“Good morning, Børge. Just to confirm that you are coming to Jeffrey’s place tonight at his home at 8:30 p.m. Jeffrey’s address: 9 East 71st Street, between 5th and Madison. Is there anything in particular you would like to eat? Sushi? Steak? Vegetarian? Please let me know. Thank you, Assistant to Jeffrey Epstein”

“I’m looking forward to it – sushi sounds absolutely fantastic. Børge”

This email exchange between Jeffrey Epstein’s assistant and Børge Brende took place on 13 June 2019. That evening was most likely the last time they met, at Epstein’s residence in the fashionable Upper East Side of Manhattan, between Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue, just east of Central Park.

Finally together again

This was a meeting both had been looking forward to. That spring, the two busy globetrotters had made several attempts to get together.

“I’m in Paris this week. Some of your friends are coming too,” Jeffrey Epstein texted Børge Brende on 20 April. He may have been referring to Thorbjørn Jagland and/or Terje Rød-Larsen?

“Enjoy yourselves. I’m in Dubai and Turkey. Not joking. Everything all right?” Brende replied. But he never got an answer to his question.

On 11 May, Epstein made another attempt to meet up. “Are you in Geneva on 16 June?” he texted. “Unfortunately in Addis,” Brende answered. But then Brende wrote that he had so much to discuss with Epstein and asked if he would be in New York on 13 June. Epstein replied that they would make it happen. “You’re far too kind. Looking forward to seeing you,” Brende responded.

Welcome to Heaven – hehe

The tone between Brende and Epstein was impeccably friendly. They arranged time and place. Brende mentioned that he would first be attending a barbecue dinner with other staff members, most likely from the WEF. Once the time was settled and Brende asked for the exact address, Epstein replied jokingly: “Heaven. First door on the right.” Brende found it amusing.

– Terje has always escorted me there

That Børge Brende asked for the exact address did not mean he had never visited Jeffrey Epstein’s home before. Quite the opposite. He had been there many times, always accompanied by Terje Rød-Larsen. He texted: “Terje has always escorted me there :-). Not because I’ve been drunk.” “Not just because,” Epstein joked back.

The day before their final meal together, Brende informed Epstein that he was on the train to New York. He wrote ironically: “Just met your friend the president” (POTUS = President of the United States). Epstein, who clearly had no fondness for Donald Trump, replied: “Check you still have your wallet,” then added that he was sitting with Steve (Bannon?), to which Brende responded: “Say hi. And I don’t have as much to lose as you,” followed by a winking laughing emoji. What exactly Brende meant by that remark remains unclear. It is also unclear whether the preposition “too” was intended to be “to”. Any eventual police interview with Brende would presumably clarify such points. Epstein did not reply to that message either.

On 13 June 2019—the very day they were due to meet—the texting between the two continued. The barbecue dinner Brende had mentioned earlier was evidently a reception that proved less exciting than expected. He texted that the traffic was “cooperating” and asked if it would be all right to arrive a bit earlier, which Epstein confirmed. Brende thanked him and noted that it might be rude to turn up earlier than agreed, adding a smiley. “Must have been the tale of a bore,” Epstein replied, alluding to the reception being rather tedious. (Incidentally, a Mark Twain quotation.)

Funnier with Epstein than with WEF?

The sushi dinner at Jeffrey Epstein’s home was clearly a success. The next day, 14 June, Epstein texted: “You can come as early as breakfast any time.” He evidently enjoyed Brende’s company—or at least gave that impression—to which Brende responded with a thumbs-up emoji. Epstein followed up by saying it was always a pleasure to meet and that it didn’t happen often enough. Brende replied that he was the one who should be thanking him and wished Epstein good luck on his trip.

A bit of lads’ banter and a final farewell

Two days later, with both of them back on the road, Epstein sends Brende a photo of Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife, which they both find amusing. Børge Brende replies: “I was right, wasn’t I?” and “hysterical”. “Yep,” Epstein responds, then adds: “Every time I see Miss Piggy, I think of you” – suggesting Brende must have nicknamed her Miss Piggy during one of their meetings when the mood was laddish and jokey. “I’ll have to live with that. Better to be remembered than forgotten,” Brende replies. He’s in Amsterdam at the time and sends his regards from there.

On 30 June, Epstein is in Paris and suggests meeting up again.

But Brende had travelled on to China after his stay in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. The sushi dinner at Epstein’s home therefore turned out to be the last time they met. Six days later, on 6 July, Jeffrey Epstein was arrested by the FBI at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey as he returned from Paris. That marked the end of an acquaintance that, judging by their exchanges, had developed into something closer to friendship. Or was Børge Brende simply drawn into Epstein’s web?

Brende and Epstein had been in frequent contact in the couple of years leading up to the arrest. In the US Department of Justice database, a search for “Brende” yields 97 hits. Searching on “Borge” (first-name basis) produces 130 results. The records show contact stretching back to the World Economic Forum meeting in 2014.