'Peter Mandelson? I don't know him': Donald Trump dodges question on sacked ambassador's links to Jeffrey Epstein
The US president shifts question onto Prime Minister in joint press conference
Donald Trump has claimed not to know the now-sacked UK Ambassador to the US Peter Mandelson despite being pictured with him in the Oval Office.
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Mandelson, a member of the House of Lords, was fired as the UK’s ambassador to the US by Sir Keir Starmer last week when the extent of his friendship with the US financier was revealed.
There had been concerns the issue could cast a shadow on the US president’s second state visit to the UK, not least because Mr Trump was also close to Epstein, although they fell out before his conviction in 2009.
But when asked about Lord Mandelson's links to the disgraced financier, Mr Trump appeared to fob off the question.
“I don’t know him actually, I had heard that, and I think maybe the Prime Minister would be better speaking of that. It was a choice that he made and I don’t know.” said Mr Trump before handing the issue over to Sir Keir Starmer.
Speaking directly to Sir Keir Starmer, Mr Trump said: “What is your answer to that?”
The Prime Minister replied: “It’s very straightforward. Some information came to light last week which wasn’t available when he was appointed, and I made a decision about it, and that’s very clear.”
Lord Mandelson was sacked last Thursday after emails were published showing he had sent supportive messages to Epstein, even as the paedophile faced jail for sex offences.
The emails included passages in which Lord Mandelson had told Epstein to “fight for early release” shortly before he was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
Lord Mandelson’s departure left the Government hosting Mr Trump’s second state visit without a US ambassador, with James Roscoe, the UK’s charge d’affaires in Washington, stepping up in the meantime.
Lord Mandelson was said to have been instrumental in organising the presidential visit.
Mr Trump and the then-top diplomat at the embassy in Washington have been pictured together in the Oval Office.
The former ambassador previously claimed that Mr Trump called him "good-looking" during their White House meeting.