The Japan Times - Move on, says Trump as Epstein files trigger probe into British politician

Former British ambassador to Washington Peter Mandelson resigned from the upper house of parliament amid allegations he passed confidential information to late sex offender Epstein.

The fallout from the latest release of millions of documents linked to Epstein continued in the United States too, where former president Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary will testify in Congress later this month.

Republican Trump insisted once again that he had been cleared by the newest trove of files as he faced renewed questions at the White House over the disgraced financier.

"Nothing came out about me other than it was a conspiracy against me, literally, by Epstein and other people. But I think it's time now for the country to maybe get on to something else like health care or something that people care about," Trump said.

Trump added that it was "not a Republican, it's a Democrat problem", in a bid to turn the issue back to the Clintons, and away from the mention in the files of allies including his Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and billionaire Elon Musk.

"It's a shame," he said of the Clintons.

- 'Too bad' -

Hillary Clinton, the Democratic former US secretary of state who lost to Trump in the 2016 election, and her husband will now testify in a US House investigation into Epstein on February 26 and 27.

Neither Trump nor the Clintons have been accused of criminal wrongdoing related to Epstein's activities.

Trump spent months trying to block the disclosure of files linked to Epstein, before relenting late last year when an initial tranche of files was released.

Fresh documents released by the US Justice Department last week contained emails between prominent figures and Epstein, who died by suicide in prison in 2019, often revealing warm relations, illicit financial dealings and private photos.

But Trump's efforts to move on from the Epstein scandal have been hampered as it engulfs key figures from royals to politicians at home and abroad.

"I don't know too much about it," Trump said when an AFP reporter asked him to comment on Mandelson's resignation. "I know who he is. It's too bad."

Mandelson appeared in the Oval Office in May 2025 and shook hands with Trump as they announced a trade deal, but was sacked in September over earlier Epstein revelations.

- 'Misconduct in public office' -

Now the often-divisive British political figure once dubbed the "Prince of Darkness" has seen his decades-long political career effectively ended.

The former minister and ex-EU trade commissioner announced he was resigning from the House of Lords as of Wednesday. Hours later British police said they were probing him for "misconduct in public office offenses".

Along with images of Mandelson in his underpants, records released on Friday suggested that in 2009 Mandelson, while business secretary, forwarded an economic briefing to Epstein intended for then-prime minister Gordon Brown.

Epstein also appeared to have transferred $75,000 in three payments to accounts linked to the veteran Labour politician between 2003 and 2004.

The issue has caused a headache for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government.

The Epstein affair has also shaken the very pinnacle of the British establishment.

British police said they were "assessing" claims by a second woman who said she had been trafficked to the UK for a sexual encounter with former prince Andrew, who was stripped of his royal titles last October.

Pictures in the latest Epstein files showed Andrew kneeling on all fours over a woman lying on the floor.

Andrew, who has denied any wrongdoing, paid a multi-million-pound settlement in 2022 to Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre without making any admission of guilt. Giuffre died by suicide last year.

Andrew's ex-wife Sarah Ferguson has also been caught up in the scandal with a series of embarrassing emails to Epstein. Her charity, "Sarah's Trust", said Tuesday it was now closing down.

Y.Hara--JT