Sweden’s Security Adviser Resigns Less Than 24 Hours After Appointment After ‘Sensitive’ Grindr Pictures Emerge

Sweden’s national security apparatus was once again thrust into disarray Friday after Tobias Thyberg, newly appointed as National Security Adviser, resigned less than 24 hours into the job over ‘sensitive’ photos tied to a past dating app profile.

The abrupt departure marks the second consecutive scandal for the nation’s top security post, raising questions about vetting procedures and institutional stability at a time when Sweden is navigating rising geopolitical tension in Northern and Eastern Europe, Politico reports.

“Shortly after the government’s decision yesterday to appoint Tobias Thyberg, entirely new personal information about him emerged,” said Johan Stuart, State Secretary to Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, in a statement. “This is, of course, serious.”

According to Stuart, Thyberg admitted Thursday evening that he failed to disclose relevant personal information during the recruitment process, which he was obligated to share. He voluntarily withdrew from the position soon after. Annika Brändström, deputy national security adviser, will serve in an interim capacity while a new search begins.

The resignation followed inquiries from Dagens Nyheter, Sweden’s largest newspaper, which contacted Thyberg regarding “sensitive” images linked to a defunct Grindr dating profile.

“These are old pictures from an account I previously had on the dating site Grindr,” Thyberg told the paper. “I should have informed [the government] about this but I didn’t. I have therefore said I do not intend to take up the position.”

Thyberg’s professional record includes stints as ambassador to Afghanistan (2017–2019), ambassador to Ukraine until 2023, and most recently, as head of the foreign ministry’s unit for Eastern Europe and Central Asia—regions critical to Sweden’s expanding defense posture following its accession to NATO in March 2024.

The latest resignation deepens the sense of instability around the position. Thyberg’s predecessor, Henrik Landerholm, stepped down in January after a prosecutor opened an investigation into his mishandling of highly classified documents at a conference facility in 2023.

Sweden has only had two national security advisers since creating the role in 2022, both now felled by unforced errors. While the office itself remains operational, the pattern has drawn scrutiny from opposition lawmakers and national security observers who warn that persistent turnover in the post risks undermining Sweden’s credibility among Western allies.

For now, the Kristersson government faces the delicate task of finding a third appointee – someone with deep regional expertise, but without the kind of personal baggage that could once again make headlines.