Norwegian tourist says he was detained for ‘JD Vance meme', US says drug use, not politics, caused ban
A 21-year-old tourist from Norway, Mads Mikkelsen, says he was held for five hours at Newark Airport by US Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) over a meme on his phone showing US Vice-President JD Vance with a bald head. The US authorities, however, say he was denied entry due to admitted drug use.
After returning to Norway, Mikkelsen told the local paper Nordlys and the BBC that USCBP officers questioned him about drug use, terrorism, and extremism. He said they asked him to unlock his phone and threatened him with a $5,000 fine if he refused.
He told the BBC: 'The agent seemed to be very antagonised by the image. He asked me why I had it saved on my phone.' Mikkelsen said he explained it was a meme and meant to be humorous, but the agent replied: 'It's very clearly a piece of dangerous extremist propaganda.'
Mikkelsen also admitted to the officers that he had legally used cannabis in Germany and in the US state of New Mexico. Both places allow recreational use of the drug, but under US federal law, any drug use – even where legal – can be grounds for refusal of entry. He said he was then taken to a guarded room, where he was asked to hand over his phone, shoes, and bag.
Later, the USCBP posted on X: 'Fact Check: FALSE. Mads Mikkelsen was not denied entry for any memes or political reasons, it was for his admitted drug use.' The Department of Homeland Security also denied that the meme had anything to do with the decision.
BS. Claims that Mads Mikkelsen was denied entry because of a JD Vance meme are FALSE.
Mikkelsen was refused entry into the U.S. for his admitted drug use. pic.twitter.com/AbXczQ8tg5
— Tricia McLaughlin (@TriciaOhio) June 24, 2025
Mikkelsen described the experience as traumatic. He said he was strip-searched, fingerprinted, had his luggage searched, and blood taken. He also claimed that his Norwegian passport was wrongly marked as 'Spanish,' and that US officials wrote incorrect information about his travel plans.
According to paperwork shared by Mikkelsen, border agents also suspected he may have been trying to work in the US without permission, something he denies.
'I would not return while the current government is in power,' Mikkelsen told Nordlys.
BBC reports that USCBP says fewer than 0.01 per cent of travellers have their phones or devices searched. Around one million people enter the US each day.
US President Donald Trump, currently in office, has taken a strong stance on drug use and border enforcement.
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