UK’s would-be man in Washington grovels to Trump

It’s now nine days since Donald Trump was elected — and Britain’s proposed man in Washington is yet to get final sign-off. Peter Mandelson was named as the new UK Ambassador to the US last month. The move did not go down well with all in Trumpworld. Mandelson has made various insulting comments about the new President, calling him everything from a “danger to the world” to a “little short of a white nationalist and racist.” Trump’s campaign manager Chris LaCivita dubbed Mandelson an “absolute moron.” Ouch….

Now, in a belated effort to suck up to Trump, “the Prince of Darkness,” as he is known in British political circles, has prostrated himself on the President’s favorite TV channel. Mandelson gave an interview to Fox News this morning, in which he claimed — surprise, surprise! — that his views of Trump have now shifted. Gee, what could have prompted that? “I consider my remarks about President Trump as ill-judged and wrong,” he groveled. “I think that times and attitudes toward the president have changed.”

Mandelson added that, since the 2024 presidential election, “I think that he [Trump] has won fresh respect. He certainly has from me, and that is going to be the basis of all the work I do as His Majesty’s ambassador in the United States.” He added that “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.” Perhaps he has not been speaking to the right people, eh?

Preferring to now look to a bright new future of transatlantic partnership, Mandelson talked gravely about the dangers Britain and America face together. “We face a challenge together from China’, he warned “and we’ve got to make sure that we are able to deter that challenge or that threat when they’re having aggressive intents toward us.” This, from the man who five months ago was suggesting Labour ought to have closer relations with Beijing, and whose links to China are now reportedly under scrutiny from the FBI.

“The president isn’t a career diplomat, and I’m not a career diplomat,” insisted Mandelson. Understatement of the century anyone?