British Ambassador in the USA canceled. What connects him with Epstein and Trump?
From the very beginning it was known that Peter Mandelson is a high -risk candidate. This sociable Extremely cunning activist with a rich career in politics and lobbying He is burdened with extremely heavy luggage. However, no one could have assumed that he would end in this way.
Even surrounded by Prime Minister Keira Starmer, there were serious concerns about entrusting the diplomatic mission of strengthening relations with the world of magicura Mandelson. And at a time when the stake is trade stimulating economic growth and peace in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Perhaps the biggest surprise is that a man called “Prince of Darkness” was only dismissed after six months, just before the second state visit of Donald Trump's state in Great Britain. And that his acquaintance with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein – a scandal circling the heads of rich and influential people, including Trump himself, will resign.
Starmer dismissed Mandelson at a catastrophic moment for the government when he tries to shake off after a series of failures. Although he initially took his side when the details of the Ambassador's friendship with Epstein came to light, The Prime Minister argued that they were not known at the time of his appointment in December. The disclosed emails showed that Epstein could count on Mandelson's support even after convicting minors to sex for money.
Donald Trump – who himself denies the obvious evidence to his own sympathy for Epstein in the past – It was annoyed by the way Mandelson was releasedas one of the people informed about discussions in the White House tells us. He was dissatisfied that he was not informed personally by Starmer. He is also afraid of everything that could overshadow his official state visit next week.
Donald Trump, US president, and British Ambassador Peter Mandelson during the commercial agreement between the United States and Great Britain. Washington, May 8, 2025Jim Watson / AFP
Over the past few months, Politico has conducted several interviews with officials in London and Washington to create a picture of Mandelson's ambassador, many of our interlocutors have admitted anonymity so that they could speak freely. According to the image they outlined, it follows that Mandelson was able to use a masterly coquettish – until the Epstein case was publicized.
“Prince of Darkness” with a mission in Washington
Starmer never seemed enthusiastic about the appointment of Mandelson as his envoy in Washington, as one of the people familiar with the backstage of Downing Street 10, the prime minister's headquarters. Lord Mandelson, however, was heavily favored by the head of Starmer's office, Morgan McSweeneywhich owes him one of his first party jobs 20 years ago. – There was no outstanding candidate from the diplomatic service. Mandelson and McSweeney made it clear that they want it to be him, says one of the former high rank of diplomats.
Two people with knowledge about the functioning of Downing Street 10 said that McSweeney was still regularly consulted with Mandelson after he took office in Washington. Mandelson, even as an ambassador in the USA, has been seen many times at Downing Street. He even participated in an extraordinary meeting the day before Iran's bombing by Israel.
In most cases, British ambassadors are not widely known. They are usually state officials who move around the world anonymously, discreetly performing their duties. Mandelson is their opposite. For the first time he climbed to the highest level of British politics in the late 1990s as a trusted lieutenant of Prime Minister Tony Blair, responsible for refining the elegant image of the renovated Labor Party. Mandelson, however, was forced twice to resign from Blaira's office Because of their unclear connections with influential and very wealthy personalities.
Tony Blair, Prime Minister of Great Britain, together with Peter Mandelson, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Belfast, January 18, 2001Paul Faith / PAP
Unlike his predecessors as the ambassador, there is a number of associations at his name – the center -left euro -enthusiast, voter of globalism and a friend of China. None of them gave him a great chance for Donald Trump's sympathy. In addition, it is recognizable, there are rumors, which are written both by his decisive supporters and sworn enemies. And apparently this Starmer hates the most in British politics. As a lawyer, he despises personal intrigues and games.
Despite everything Mandelson seemed to have real achievements and found the key to Trump's heart. The ambassador made an effort to reach his most difficult recipients, supporters of the magician.
– With Donald Trump in the White House, the ambassador must also be known and appreciated by the president. So far, it seems that Lord Mandelson is doing well with it – said Peter Westmacott in July, former Ambassador of the UK in Washington. It was not a simple relationship. Trump was to describe Mandelson as a “insidious guy”according to one of the officials present during talks with the president.
Moreover, the president is clearly annoyed by every mention of Epstein, because the dispute over the disclosure of thousands of pages of files regarding his former friend threatens to derail his policy in the country. According to the same official, the Trump team was “nervous” of anything that could revive this topic. Publicly, however, the president showed Mandelson with praise. On the day when London and Washington agreed a trade agreement lowering duties, the ambassador was greeted in the oval office. Mandelson exchanged jokes with the president, who in turn called him “handsome” and praised his “beautiful accent”.
Jeffrey Epstein's spectrum circulates over the elites
The future British ambassador entered the “Birthday Book” allegedly prepared for Epstein in 2003. Mandelson appears in the files revealed by the US Surveillance Committee of the US representatives of only a few pages against the famous wishes, which Trump denies writing.
Photos in the album could not be more embarrassing. Mandelson, dressed in a bathrobe, laughs at them with Epstein. The post accompanying photos shows that Mandelson was delighted with his “best friend”.
Even when the whole world circulated about the scandal related to the president, Mandelson remained “completely unmoved” and “calm”according to one of the people who spent that evening with the British diplomat.
Another movement of Mandelson was to turn to the media as part of the fight to stay in the position. He gave an interview to the tabloid “The Sun”, saying that his relationship with Epstein has long been “Albatros on my neck”. He expressed compassion for the victims of the financier, but also regret towards himself. He said he felt “deeply nervous, that I was fooled by” by “a charismatic liar and criminal.”
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It was a clear change compared to February, when when asked about Epstein in an interview with the Financial Times, Mandelson replied: “I will not delve into it. This is an obsession with FT and to be honest, you can all answer ***. Ok?”
Then it seemed that this was a topic that could be controlled. But it was even before the President's supporters themselves assured that the Epstein scandal returned to public consciousness, among the loud pressure in the magician movement to make files that could reveal The scope of the billionaire's offenses and how close so many people were in power.
Trump's visit to the shadow of the moral scandal
On Wednesday, Starmer defended Mandelson, saying that he kept confidence in the ambassador who “plays an important role” in transatlantic relations. However, less than nine hours later, Mandelson's position became unsuccessful. Bloomberg has published an investigative report based on over 100 e-mails between the current ambassador and Epstein. Mandelson suggested that The conviction of Epstein in 2008 for urging children to prostitution was wrong and should be questioned.
“I think about you tenderly and I feel hopeless and furious because of what happened,” wrote Mandelson. “I can still understand this. It just couldn't happen in Great Britain.”
Despite this, until Thursday morning Mandelson still insisted that he would not leave. For Starmer, another loud resignation was the last thing he needed. After returning from vacation, he tried to fight with weak surveys and announced that his administration entered the “second phase” of striving to revive Great Britain. Immediately afterwards he lost his deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner, when she confessed to paying a low tax on buying a house.
– Even yesterday, all prime minister's advisers said that we had to slow down. Except Morgan. Everyone said that it looks really bad for the prime minister, and Morgan answered: no, we must defend him – said one of the people from Downing Street 10. However, Mandelson was released on Thursday morning.
“E-mails show that the depth and scope of Peter Mandelson's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein They differ significantly from what was known at the time of his nomination” – said the British Foreign Affairs Office.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Donald Trump in the Trump Turnberry golf course at South Ayrshire, July 28, 2025.Chris Furlong, PAP / PA / PAP
The rate of Trump's state visit next week was high anyway. The British government makes every effort to get injured in the case of Ukraine, duties and technological partnership. The White House is now afraid that the journey will be overshadowed by a scandal breezeaccording to the same person with knowledge about conversations. Washington would also like Mandelson's successor to be appointed as soon as possible.
Downing Street will probably be in the face of pressure to consider employing an experienced diplomat that could be installed faster than a politician. And Mandelson's resignation, even physically absent during the talks, will not stop the questions about Epstein During the official visit, which promises to be very awkward.
