The Norwegian Minister of Defence is the head of the Norwegian Ministry of Defence. The position has existed since 1814. The incumbent minister since 4 February 2025 is Tore O. Sandvik of the Labour Party.

Between 1819 and 1885 the Ministry was split into two different ministries, the Ministry of the Navy and the Army Ministry. Norwegian defence ministers after 1945

List of Norwegian Ministers of Defence (1814–1885) Name From ToThe position was named Chief of 6th Ministry from 1814 to 1818Diderik Hegermann18141816Peter Motzfeldt18161818Mathias Sommerhielm18181819The position was named Minister of the Army from 1818 to 1885Jonas Collett18191819Nicolai Krog18221825Jørgen Herman Vogt18251826Nicolai Krog18261828Thomas Fasting18281829Nicolai Krog18391832Thomas Fasting18321833Nicolai Krog18331835Valentin Sibbern18351836Nicolai Krog18361837Palle Rømer Fleischer18371839Oluf Borch de Schouboe18391839Valentin Sibbern18391840Palle Rømer Fleischer18401842Oluf Borch de Schouboe18421843Palle Rømer Fleischer18431846Valentin Sibbern18461847Palle Rømer Fleischer18471848Thomas Edvard von Westen Sylow18481851Hans Christian Petersen18511852Ole Wilhelm Erichsen18521852Hans Christian Petersen18521853Thomas Edvard von Westen Sylow18521853Hans Glad Bloch18531856Hans Christian Petersen18561857Harald Wergeland (acting)18571857Hans Christian Petersen18571857Hans Glad Bloch18571860Harald Wergeland18601862August Christian Manthey18621863Harald Wergeland18631866August Christian Manthey18661867Harald Wergeland18671868Niels Christian Irgens18681872August Christian Manthey18721872Lorentz Henrik Müller Segelcke18721874Christian Selmer18741875Anders Sandøe Ørsted Bull (acting)18751875Christian Selmer18751875Anders Sandøe Ørsted Bull (acting)18751875Lorentz Henrik Müller Segelcke18751877Adolph Frederik Munthe18771879Christian Selmer18791880Adolph Frederik Munthe18801881Anders Sandøe Ørsted Bull (acting)18811881Adolph Frederik Munthe18811884Anders Sandøe Ørsted Bull (acting)18841884Lars Christian Dahll18841884Ludvig Daae18841885The position was named Minister of Defence from 1885 to present

Ministers of Defence (1885–present) Key

Ministers Photo Name Party Took office Left office Tenure Cabinet Johan Sverdrup Liberal 1 September 1885 13 July 1889 Sverdrup Edvard Hans Hoff Conservative 13 July 1889 6 March 1891 Stang I Peter T. Holst Liberal 6 March 1891 2 May 1893 Steen I Wilhelm Olssøn Conservative 2 May 1893 15 July 1894 Stang II Johannes Harbitz Conservative 15 July 1894 27 April 1895 Wilhelm Olssøn Conservative 27 April 1895 17 February 1898 Stang II Hagerup I Peter T. Holst Liberal 17 February 1898 6 November 1900 Steen II Georg Stang Liberal 6 November 1900 9 June 1903 Steen II Blehr I Thomas Heftye Liberal 9 June 1903 22 October 1903 Blehr I Oscar Strugstad Coalition 22 October 1903 11 March 1905 Hagerup II Wilhelm Olssøn Conservative 11 March 1905 25 May 1907 Michelsen Karl Friedrich Griffin Dawes Liberal 23 October 1907 19 March 1908 Løvland Thomas Heftye Liberal 19 March 1908 11 April 1908 Knudsen I Haakon D. Lowzow Liberal 11 April 1908 20 August 1909 August Spørck Liberal 20 August 1909 2 February 1910 Karl Bull Conservative 2 February 1910 20 February 1912 Konow Jens Bratlie Conservative 20 February 1912 31 January 1913 Bratlie Hans Vilhelm Keilhau Liberal 31 January 1913 8 August 1914 Knudsen II Christian T. Holtfodt Liberal 8 August 1914 20 February 1919 Rudolf Peersen Liberal 20 February 1919 17 June 1919 Ivar Aavatsmark Liberal 17 June 1919 21 June 1920 Karl Wilhelm Wefring Free-minded Liberal 21 June 1920 22 June 1921 Bahr Halvorsen I Ivar Aavatsmark Liberal 22 June 1921 6 March 1923 Blehr II Karl Wilhelm Wefring Free-minded Liberal 6 March 1923 25 July 1924 Bahr Halvorsen II Berge Rolf Jacobsen Liberal 25 July 1924 5 March 1926 Mowinckel I Karl Wilhelm Wefring Free-minded Liberal 5 March 1926 26 July 1926 Lykke Ingolf Elster Christensen Conservative 26 July 1926 28 January 1928 Fredrik Monsen Labour 28 January 1928 15 February 1928 Hornsrud Torgeir Anderssen-Rysst Liberal 28 January 1928 12 May 1931 Mowinckel II Vidkun Quisling Independent 12 May 1931 3 March 1933 Kolstad Hundseid Jens Isak Kobro Liberal 3 March 1933 20 March 1935 Mowinckel III Fredrik Monsen Labour 20 March 1935 22 December 1939 Nygaardsvold Birger Ljungberg Conservative 22 December 1939 20 March 1942 Oscar Torp Labour 20 March 1942 5 November 1945 Nygaardsvold Gerhardsen I Jens Christian Hauge Labour 5 November 1945 5 January 1952 Gerhardsen II Torp Nils Langhelle Labour 5 January 1952 15 June 1954 Torp Kai Birger Knudsen Labour 15 June 1954 22 January 1955 Nils Handal Labour 22 January 1955 18 February 1961 Gerhardsen III Gudmund Harlem Labour 18 February 1961 28 August 1963 Håkon Kyllingmark Conservative 28 August 1963 25 September 1963 Lyng Gudmund Harlem Labour 25 September 1963 12 October 1965 Gerhardsen IV Otto Grieg Tidemand Conservative 12 October 1965 5 June 1970 Borten Gunnar Hellesen Conservative 5 June 1970 17 March 1971 Alv Jakob Fostervoll Labour 17 March 1971 18 October 1972 Bratteli I Johan Kleppe Liberal 18 October 1972 16 October 1973 Korvald Alv Jakob Fostervoll Labour 16 October 1973 15 January 1976 Bratteli II Rolf Arthur Hansen Labour 15 January 1976 8 October 1979 Nordli Thorvald Stoltenberg Labour 8 October 1979 14 October 1981 Nordli Brundtland I Anders C. Sjaastad Conservative 14 October 1981 25 April 1986 Willoch I-II Rolf Presthus Conservative 25 April 1986 9 May 1986 Willoch II Johan Jørgen Holst Labour 9 May 1986 16 October 1989 Brundtland II Per Ditlev-Simonsen Conservative 16 October 1989 3 November 1990 Syse Johan Jørgen Holst Labour 3 November 1990 2 April 1993 Brundtland III Jørgen Kosmo Labour 2 April 1993 17 October 1997 Brundtland III Jagland Dag Jostein Fjærvoll Christian Democratic 17 October 1997 15 March 1999 Bondevik I Eldbjørg Løwer Liberal 15 March 1999 17 March 2000 Bjørn Tore Godal Labour 17 March 2000 19 October 2001 Stoltenberg I Kristin Krohn Devold Conservative 19 October 2001 17 October 2005 Bondevik II Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen Labour 17 October 2005 20 October 2009 Stoltenberg II Grete Faremo Labour 20 October 2009 11 November 2011 Espen Barth Eide Labour 11 November 2011 21 September 2012 Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen Labour 21 September 2012 16 October 2013 Ine Eriksen Søreide Conservative 16 October 2013 20 October 2017 Solberg Frank Bakke-Jensen Conservative 20 October 2017 14 October 2021 Odd Roger Enoksen Centre 14 October 2021 12 April 2022 Støre Bjørn Arild Gram Centre 12 April 2022 4 February 2025 Tore O. Sandvik Labour present

References

Ministry of Defence. Councillor of State 1814-present - Government.no Norwegian Ministry of the Navy and Postal Affairs - Government.no