London
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When US President Donald Trump arrives at Windsor Castle for his unprecedented second state visit to the United Kingdom on Wednesday, there can be one notable absentee.
As Trump is greeted by King Charles and Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the diplomat who had an enormous hand in a lot of the preparation work could have been anticipated to be hovering within the background. But that official, the British ambassador to Washington, was fired final week over his hyperlinks to the convicted intercourse offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The dismissal of Peter Mandelson – a polarizing determine on the left of British politics for years – threatens to forged an extended shadow over the week’s occasions, making a fragile summit much more tough for the beleaguered Starmer. What had been billed as an opportunity for the struggling Labour authorities to deepen its ties with the US now dangers being derailed by questions over Starmer’s judgment in appointing Mandelson – and Trump’s personal ties to Epstein.
If that was not sufficient, the royal hosts have their very own Epstein historical past. Prince Andrew, Charles’ brother, withdrew from public life in 2020, after he gave an interview to the BBC detailing his relationship with the disgraced financier, which led to authorized motion within the US.
The Mandelson scandal has come at a poor time, says Olivia O’Sullivan, director of the UK within the World program on the Chatham House suppose tank. “It gives the media something very immediate, scandalous and linked to a big domestic political problem for Trump to focus on during the visit.”
Mandelson was beneath mounting strain after US lawmakers launched a 238-page scrapbook of letters despatched to Epstein, compiled for his fiftieth birthday, through which the veteran Labour get together politician penned a handwritten be aware, describing the financier as “my best pal.”
Trump can also be alleged to have written a message to Epstein in the identical “birthday book” from 2003. That sexually suggestive letter includes a hand-drawn determine of a unadorned lady together with what seems to be Trump’s signature mimicking pubic hair. Since the Wall Street Journal first reported the letter in July, Trump has denied writing it, calling it a “fake thing.” His allies mentioned after the letter was launched that the signature was not Trump’s.
But Mandelson didn’t deny the authenticity of his letter, compiled in the identical guide. Instead, he mentioned final week that he discovered his phrases “very embarrassing” to learn again, and that he feared extra embarrassing exchanges would emerge.
He was proper. Mandelson initially burdened that he wrote his birthday message earlier than Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting intercourse from underage ladies, however this protection rapidly unraveled after Bloomberg revealed a slew of emails that confirmed Mandelson continued to help his “pal” after he was convicted.
“I think the world of you and I feel hopeless and furious about what has happened,” Mandelson wrote. He supplied to use his political contacts to assist clear Epstein’s identify and gave him recommendation, suggesting he struggle again utilizing strategies from Sun Tzu’s “Art of War.”
Mandelson was fired the day after these emails emerged. Britain’s Foreign Office mentioned the brand new info confirmed the “depth and extent” of his relationship with Epstein was “materially different” from what was identified when Starmer appointed him. “Had I known then what I know now, I’d never have appointed him,” Starmer mentioned Monday.
For Starmer, Mandelson’s dismissal was the second political scandal in as many weeks. Just days earlier than, his deputy Angela Rayner resigned after it emerged she had failed to pay sufficient property tax on a second house.
But the swiftness with which Mandelson was ejected over his ties to Epstein will solely underscore how Trump has tried to downplay his personal relationship with the disgraced financier and discourage individuals from specializing in the matter. Mandelson was due to dine with Trump, Starmer and King Charles III through the state go to; now, the ghost of his political profession will loom over the occasion. White House officers refused to say whether or not Trump would elevate Mandelson’s firing — or his ideas on a attainable new ambassador — throughout his assembly with Starmer.
Michael Martins, a former official on the US embassy in London, who was concerned within the planning for Trump’s first state go to in 2019, instructed NCS: “Both sides are going to be trying to move on from this during the state visit. Neither will want to talk about it.”
But the British media will make that arduous for them, if Starmer and Trump take questions from the press through the go to. The controversy continues to canine the administration again in Washington, notably on Capitol Hill. Lawyers for Epstein’s property lately offered extra paperwork to the House Oversight Committee for his or her investigation into the matter, and extra witnesses are anticipated to testify behind closed doorways within the coming weeks.
Starmer can be eager to hold consideration the burgeoning commerce ties between the 2 international locations. Mandelson helped dealer the barebones US-UK commerce deal in May, which the 2 sides have since labored to bulk up.
Starmer on Monday additionally introduced a US-UK nuclear vitality settlement, which is able to make it simpler for firms to construct new energy stations in each international locations. A brand new expertise partnership can also be probably be unveiled through the go to.
Whether these new offers are sufficient to distract from the looming Epstein scandal is unclear. Starmer remains to be going through fierce questions over his determination to substitute Karen Pierce, Britain’s well-respected former ambassador, for Mandelson, who has now been compelled out of three senior authorities roles over separate scandals.
In ousting a profession diplomat like Pierce for a maverick like Mandelson, Downing Street’s logic was that “they wanted somebody who would be able to manage the very personalist approach of the Trump administration,” mentioned O’Sullivan, from Chatham House.
“They thought that it’s all about personal ties, and (the ambassador) has to be able to manage that court atmosphere. But in the end, it was his personal ties that became too big of a risk.”