Former Norwegian Foreign Minister Børge Brende has admitted to meeting convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, but stated the contact occurred after he left his government position in 2018 and 2019. He initially denied any contact before later apologizing for not being upfront about the meetings during a hearing today. Brende explained the meetings took place while he served as president of the World Economic Forum, and he feared the contact would be misconstrued and damage the forum’s reputation, particularly leading up to the annual meeting in Davos. He expressed regret over his initial dishonesty and acknowledged a lapse in judgment in not disclosing the encounters sooner. He is the only individual appearing at today's hearings known to have had contact with Epstein. Brende emphasized he never met Epstein while serving as Norway's Foreign Minister.