Rufus Gifford: Over Atlanten

On the night of November 9, 2016, Rufus Gifford stood at an election event in Copenhagen, waiting for what he was certain would happen: Hillary Clinton's victory and a quiet end to his time as U.S. Ambassador to Denmark. It turned out differently.

Trump's election victory threw Gifford into a personal crisis. Had he painted a false picture of America for the Danes? Is the United States really a nation driven by xenophobia and selfishness?

In his memoir "Over Atlanten," published in January 2026, Gifford grapples with these questions. He takes the reader through the Obama years, a failed Democratic presidential campaign in 2024, and into the political reality Trump has created - and what it means for the relationship between the United States and Europe, militarily, culturally, and economically.

The conversation is led by Rie Hededal Nielsen and takes place in English. Daniel Staugaard, chair of the Culture, Trade and Tourism Committee, welcomes the audience. The event is held in BHJ Hall, Ahlefeldvej 4, 6300 Gråsten, and is supported by the Fabrikant Mads Clausen Foundation.