Donald Trump has refuted any familiarity with dismissed US ambassador Peter Mandelson – despite a photograph showing them shaking hands. The US President responded dismissively when questioned about the UK’s former top envoy in Washington, who was terminated by Keir Starmer last week following revelations of his association with Jeffrey Epstein.
Trump stated he did not know Mandelson when asked during a press conference with Keir Starmer if he sympathized with Lord Mandelson’s dismissal over historical ties to the notorious figure. Trump redirected the inquiry to the Prime Minister, suggesting the PM address the matter since it was a decision made by him for which Trump claimed ignorance.
Contrary to Trump’s denial, there is photographic evidence of him shaking hands with Lord Mandelson in the Oval Office in May during the signing of a trade agreement between the US and the UK. Trump complimented Mandelson’s accent at the time and even signed a copy of the deal for the Labour veteran.
During the interaction, Mandelson displayed a paper signed by the President, who had written, “Peter, great job!” The controversy surrounding Mandelson’s dismissal threatened to overshadow Trump’s elaborate state visit, as questions also arose about Trump’s relationship with Epstein, whom he claimed to have distanced himself from before Epstein’s 2009 conviction.
Following Mandelson’s dismissal, the UK was left without a US ambassador ahead of the state visit, with James Roscoe, the UK’s charge d’affaires in Washington, assuming the role at the last minute. Epstein’s death in a New York jail cell in 2019 while facing charges of sex trafficking further added to the scrutiny surrounding the situation.