Potential British Ambassador to Washington Softens Trump Criticism
Lord Peter Mandelson has admitted he was mistaken to characterize the president as a ‘danger to the world’ back in 2018.
The UK’s prospective new ambassador to Washington has backtracked on previous statements regarding U.S. President Donald Trump.
Lord Peter Mandelson expressed that he was “wrong” to label Trump as a “danger to the world” during an interview with the London Evening Standard in 2019.
Mandelson remarked: “I regard my statements about President Trump as ill-judged and incorrect.
“I believe perceptions and attitudes toward the president have evolved since that time.
“Many have been impressed, not only by the remarkable second mandate he received from the American populace, but also by the vigor and energy he has demonstrated not only in the campaign but also in governance.”
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UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer appointed Mandelson as the next British ambassador to Washington in December 2024, succeeding current Ambassador Dame Karen Pierce.
However, concerns have been raised regarding the Labour peer’s connections to China, prompting speculation that Trump may decline to accept him.
Mandelson currently serves as president of the international think tank Policy Network, honorary president of the Great Britain–China Centre, and chairman of the strategic advisory firm Global Counsel.
In his conversation with Fox News, Lord Mandelson praised Trump as a “nice” and “fair-minded individual” who could become “one of the most significant American presidents I have known in my lifetime.”
“With the approach he is adopting towards governance— which appears to us in Britain to be significantly more organized and coherent—he seems to have a clear direction in what he wishes to achieve, giving us optimism. This bolsters our confidence,” he stated.
A seasoned veteran of the prior Labour administrations under Sir Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, Mandelson termed his appointment “a great honor.”
“It is a tremendous honor to represent the country in this capacity,” he expressed in a statement.
London is making efforts to strengthen ties with the new administration in Washington and aim to exempt British goods from the global tariffs Trump has threatened to enforce.
During her address on Wednesday, Chancellor Rachel Reeves stated she would be “guided by one clear principle above all, which is to act in the national interest for our economy.”
“This means solidifying our unique relationship with the United States under President Trump,” she noted.
Earlier this week, the UK government reported that the prime minister had a “very good early engagement” with Trump during a 45-minute phone discussion focusing on trade and the economy.
Trump has further remarked that he maintains a “very good relationship” with Starmer and believes he has performed “very well thus far.”
Mandelson is not the only British official who has shifted his stance regarding Trump.
While serving in opposition, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy frequently criticized the president, calling him a “tyrant” and stating he was “no friend of Britain.”
However, Lammy has since changed his tune, recently stating ahead of the inauguration: “The Donald Trump I met … exhibited incredible grace, generosity, was eager to be a good host; very humorous; incredibly friendly; and quite warm, I must say, about the UK, our royal family, and Scotland.”
Starmer himself has also softened his rhetoric concerning the new president.
PA Media contributed to this report.
