Last month, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer tapped Lord Mandelson to represent his government in Washington under the second Trump administration, replacing current envoy Dame Karen Pierce.
Mandelson, a veteran politico who served in the Labour governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, is popularly referred to in Britain as the “Prince of Darkness” for his Machiavellian media manipulation and was one of the inspirations for the shouty-sweary comms boss Malcolm Tucker in Armando Iannucci’s The Tick of It Westminster comedy.
Now, the Labour grandee is attempting to distance himself from his own tongue amid concerns that President Trump may reject his appointment as ambassador over Mandelson’s past comments, such as calling Trump a “danger to the world” and “little short of a white nationalist and racist.”
Appearing on Fox News on Tuesday, Lord Peter walked back the inflammatory comments, saying: “I consider my remarks about President Trump as ill-judged and wrong. I think that times and attitudes toward the president have changed.”
Mandelson went on to heap praise on the U.S. president, arguing that Trump “could become one of the most consequential American presidents I have known in my adult life.”
“There are so many threats and challenges the world is facing at the moment. It takes courage, somebody, sometimes, who’s prepared to be argumentative and, indeed, disruptive, not just take business as usual,” he continued.
The prospective ambassador went on to say that President Trump has earned “fresh respect” from himself and others for the “extraordinary mandate” from the American public as well as his “dynamism and energy” in both the presidential campaign and his approach to governing in his first weeks in office.
“With the approach that he’s taking to government, which frankly seems to us in Britain so much more organised, so much more coherent, he seems to be so much clearer in what he wants to do, we take encouragement from that. That gives us greater confidence,” he said.
“I feel optimistic that we have a president in the US who is not just going to be an effective leader in his own country but is going to give leadership to all the freedom-loving democracies in the world.”
However, concerns still remain around the prospects for Mandelson to become the next ambassador to America, including his connections to Communist China. This week, it was reported that a dossier compiled by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China was given to the FBI detailing his meetings with top Chinese officials as well as connections between Chinese firms and the company Mandelson founded, Global Counsel.
Mandelson has denied having any business relationship with China, telling The Times: “What Global Counsel does or has done with international clients in China is their business. I personally have no business dealings in China.”
Despite criticisms from Trump allies, such as senior campaign advisor Chris LaCivita, who branded Mandelson a “moron” who should “stay home”, the Labour peer has expressed confidence that his appointment will ultimately be approved.
“I’ve heard nothing from the president or the White House or anyone working for him that suggests that there’s going to be any difficulty about my appointment,” he said.
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