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Fox News and Swedish Guest Spar Over ‘National Security Adviser’ Title Fox News Distances Itself From Controversial Swedish Guest
(about 5 hours later)
A Fox news guest who was billed as a “Swedish Defense and National Security Adviser” and who described a violent immigrant crime wave wreaking havoc in Sweden said on Monday that the network falsely assigned him that title before he went on the air, an accusation that Fox denied. The Fox News host Bill O’Reilly distanced himself on Monday from a guest his show falsely identified last week as a “Swedish defense and national security adviser,” saying he should not have been invited to appear in a segment on immigrants and crime in Sweden.
The guest, Nils Bildt, appeared on The O’Reilly Factor last Thursday to support claims made by the host, Bill O’Reilly, that immigration had led to an uptick in violent crime in Sweden. But according to Swedish officials and American court records, Mr. Bildt has no known ties to Sweden’s security establishment and has a criminal record of his own in the United States. The guest, Nils Bildt, appeared on The O’Reilly Factor last Thursday to support claims made by Mr. O’Reilly that immigration had led to an uptick in violent crime in Sweden. But according to Swedish officials and American court records, Mr. Bildt has no known ties to Sweden’s security establishment and has a criminal record of his own in the United States.
According to court records, he was convicted of assaulting a police officer in Virginia in 2014 and sentenced to 12 months in prison, although his sentence was partly suspended. A Swedish newspaper, Dagens Nyheter, reported that Mr. Bildt told the paper he was “unaware” of the criminal charges. Mr. O’Reilly’s on-air remarks came after Mr. Bildt accused Fox of making up his official-sounding title and a parade of Swedish officials said they had never heard of him. He called criticism of Mr. Bildt “valid.”
In an email on Monday, Mr. Bildt declined to address his past conviction but struck back at Swedish officials who claimed not to know him. He also said Fox News had assigned him the official-sounding but false title of “defense and national security adviser” before he went on the air. Mr. Bildt does consulting work on terrorism, that’s true — but we should have clarified that he had no direct role with the Swedish government,” Mr. O’Reilly said, according to a transcript of his remarks. “To be fair, the information we gave you in the segment was accurate but in hindsight a more relevant guest should have been used on the anti-immigrant side.”
Earlier in the day, Mr. Bildt lashed out at both his critics in Sweden and at Fox News, saying the network assigned him the false title before he went on the air. Fox News, in a statement, denied that it had made the title up.
“I have never claimed to be a representative of, nor for, the Swedish Government — or any institution thereof. I always stated that I was an independent adviser,” he said. “Fox News was responsible for the title used — I think it was an unfortunate choice of words, but it is something they will need to answer for.”“I have never claimed to be a representative of, nor for, the Swedish Government — or any institution thereof. I always stated that I was an independent adviser,” he said. “Fox News was responsible for the title used — I think it was an unfortunate choice of words, but it is something they will need to answer for.”
Fox News, in a statement, denied Mr. Bildt’s version of events. It said that Mr. O’Reilly would address questions about the guest’s background and qualifications on Monday night’s show. During his appearance last week, Mr. Bildt told Mr. O’Reilly that issues he said are being caused by immigrants in Sweden were “not being openly and honestly discussed” because the country’s politics were too “liberal.”
Mr. Bildt told Mr. O’Reilly during his appearance last week that issues he said are being caused by immigrants in Sweden were “not being openly and honestly discussed” because the country’s politics were too “liberal.”
“There is a problem with socially deviant activity,” he said. “There is a problem with crime. There is a problem with areas or hot spots of crime.”“There is a problem with socially deviant activity,” he said. “There is a problem with crime. There is a problem with areas or hot spots of crime.”
Since then, a parade of Swedish officials have publicly said they have no idea who Mr. Bildt is, including spokesmen for Sweden’s military ministry and its foreign ministry. Radio Sweden reported on Monday that Mr. Bildt had not lived in the country for more than two decades. Mr. Bildt may not be a Swedish defense and national security adviser, but crime is a topic he may know a thing or two about.
According to court records, he was convicted of assaulting a police officer in Virginia in 2014 and sentenced to 12 months in prison, although his sentence was partly suspended. A Swedish newspaper, Dagens Nyheter, reported that Mr. Bildt told the paper he was “unaware” of the criminal charges.
Since Mr. Bildt’s appearance on Fox, multiple Swedish officials have publicly said they have no idea who Mr. Bildt is, including spokesmen for Sweden’s military ministry and its foreign ministry. Radio Sweden reported on Monday that Mr. Bildt had not lived in the country for more than two decades.
“We don’t know this guy,” said Mikael Abramsson, the military spokesman. Magnus Ranstorp, the head of terrorism research at the Swedish Defense University in Stockholm, said “Defense and National Security Adviser” was not even a title that existed in Sweden. He expressed skepticism that “Nils Bildt” was even his real name. “There isn’t any Nils Bildt,” Mr. Ranstorp said.“We don’t know this guy,” said Mikael Abramsson, the military spokesman. Magnus Ranstorp, the head of terrorism research at the Swedish Defense University in Stockholm, said “Defense and National Security Adviser” was not even a title that existed in Sweden. He expressed skepticism that “Nils Bildt” was even his real name. “There isn’t any Nils Bildt,” Mr. Ranstorp said.
According to public records, Mr. Bildt was born Nils Tolling, the son of Sven Tolling, who was a chairman of the Swedish Equestrian Federation, and public business records in Montana show that Mr. Bildt went by the name Tolling as recently as May.According to public records, Mr. Bildt was born Nils Tolling, the son of Sven Tolling, who was a chairman of the Swedish Equestrian Federation, and public business records in Montana show that Mr. Bildt went by the name Tolling as recently as May.
The Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet reported on Sunday that he had been going as Nils Bildt since at least 2013, when he said he was related to the country’s former prime minister, Carl Bildt, and tried to start a career as a far-right politician. Nils Bildt repeated that claim in an email to The New York Times on Monday.The Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet reported on Sunday that he had been going as Nils Bildt since at least 2013, when he said he was related to the country’s former prime minister, Carl Bildt, and tried to start a career as a far-right politician. Nils Bildt repeated that claim in an email to The New York Times on Monday.
“For the record I am related to Carl Bildt,” he said. “I doubt he would state otherwise, he has always been a good man.”“For the record I am related to Carl Bildt,” he said. “I doubt he would state otherwise, he has always been a good man.”
On Monday, Carl Bildt stated otherwise.On Monday, Carl Bildt stated otherwise.
“I know hardly anything about the man, except that he seems to go around claiming a relationship with me,” the former prime minister said when asked about Mr. Bildt. “And on one or two occasions, I have been contacted by persons who have had some dealings with him, also based on him referring to me.”“I know hardly anything about the man, except that he seems to go around claiming a relationship with me,” the former prime minister said when asked about Mr. Bildt. “And on one or two occasions, I have been contacted by persons who have had some dealings with him, also based on him referring to me.”
Carl Bildt said it was possible Nils Bildt had “a relationship of some sort” with a distant branch of his family.Carl Bildt said it was possible Nils Bildt had “a relationship of some sort” with a distant branch of his family.
“He was obviously born Tolling and took the name Bildt,” he said, adding “I don’t think anyone associated with security and defense affairs in Sweden have ever heard of him.”“He was obviously born Tolling and took the name Bildt,” he said, adding “I don’t think anyone associated with security and defense affairs in Sweden have ever heard of him.”
Nils Bildt, the Fox guest, took a dim view of his critics in Sweden on Monday, saying the officials and analysts who claimed not to know him were “not very credible.”Nils Bildt, the Fox guest, took a dim view of his critics in Sweden on Monday, saying the officials and analysts who claimed not to know him were “not very credible.”
“While certain elements of the Swedish defense and foreign policy community might state that I am an unknown entity, it is perhaps to be considered that they might be the isolated unknown entities?” Mr. Bildt said in an email. “This is as they seem never to appear at any international forums or meetings discussing these pertinent issues.”“While certain elements of the Swedish defense and foreign policy community might state that I am an unknown entity, it is perhaps to be considered that they might be the isolated unknown entities?” Mr. Bildt said in an email. “This is as they seem never to appear at any international forums or meetings discussing these pertinent issues.”
Sweden has found itself in the middle of an unusual international incident with the United States in recent weeks, thanks in part to another Fox News guest who described Swedent as plagued by immigrant crime.Sweden has found itself in the middle of an unusual international incident with the United States in recent weeks, thanks in part to another Fox News guest who described Swedent as plagued by immigrant crime.
President Trump watched a Feb. 17 Fox News segment on the alleged problem of immigrant crime in Sweden and was so impressed that he added a line to his speech at a rally the next day that falsely suggested there had been a terrorist attack there the night before.President Trump watched a Feb. 17 Fox News segment on the alleged problem of immigrant crime in Sweden and was so impressed that he added a line to his speech at a rally the next day that falsely suggested there had been a terrorist attack there the night before.
Since then, the president has insisted that any report suggesting immigrants were not causing problems in Sweden was “fake news.” Swedish officials have responded with shock, befuddlement and mockery.Since then, the president has insisted that any report suggesting immigrants were not causing problems in Sweden was “fake news.” Swedish officials have responded with shock, befuddlement and mockery.
The day after his speech, Carl Bildt mocked Mr. Trump on Twitter, asking, “What has he been smoking?”The day after his speech, Carl Bildt mocked Mr. Trump on Twitter, asking, “What has he been smoking?”