Peter Mandelson, UK's top man in Washington, proves the naysayers wrong

Yahoo

a day ago

Ambassador Peter Mandelson, the U.K.'s top diplomat in Washington, had a chorus of naysayers and detractors on both sides of the pond when his appointment was first announced six months ago — a trend not helped by his past criticism of the new U.S. president and reputation as a cunning, center-left political strategist.
But within a few months, he helped the Labour government strike the first — and so far only — foreign trade agreement with President Trump, scoring what was widely seen as a win for Britain amid the president's tariffs threats.
Does Mandelson feel vindicated after his first few months on the job?
'I probably feel more relieved,' he told The Hill during an interview at his opulent, Edwin Lutyens-designed residence.
Sitting on a sofa with a portrait of Winston Churchill looming over him, Mandelson recalled his critics labeling him a 'pro-trade globalist,' which he cops to; a 'China lover,' due to his lifelong interest in the country; and 'pro-European,' after a stint as a member of the European Commission that now finds itself at odds with the Trump White House.
'Some people wanted to give me a hard time,' Mandelson said of the days immediately following his appointment.
'Steve Bannon said that we will either blow Mandelson out of the water or bring him to heel,' he said with a glint in his eye.
But Mandelson frames his varied past — atypical of a Washington-based diplomat — as an asset.
'Well, yes, I do want the European Union to work. I know enough about it to know what it needs to do to change for the better. But of course, I want it to work. But Britain, whilst a European country, is no longer in the European Union, so we've got to work alongside the EU,' he said.
In a key Oval Office appearance, complete with compliments for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer as well as praise for Mandelson's 'beautiful accent,' Trump last month announced his first framework agreement on trade.
So far, the U.K. is still the only country to have gotten to that end post, which Mandelson credits to being 'America's best friend' and 'understanding where the president is coming from'.
Mandelson's time in the Oval Office with Trump also thrust him into the spotlight here in the United States. For an hour, he stood next to the president as he touted the framework of the new deal, which partially stole the spotlight from his prime minister, who made his remarks via a speakerphone from the U.K.
'I think it's the first time an ambassador of any country has been asked to make remarks in the Oval,' he added.
But for the British ambassador, the moment he was asked to speak by Trump came as a surprise.
'I was advised that I wouldn't be invited to say anything. That I was just there as an ornament, he said.
Since Trump's return to the Oval Office, the U.K. has waged a public charm offensive in its relations with the new administration. Mandelson has retracted his past criticism of the president and is nothing but praises for the new commander in chief.
He adds that while 'some people rail against the president and what he says,' most issues prioritized by Trump have 'a kernel of truth' — a sign he is identifying issues that are a concern to voters.
One potential bone of contention, however, is the claim from some members of Trump's administration, including Vice President Vance, that freedom of speech is infringed upon in the U.K. The issue that led to a minor clash during Starmer's Oval Office visit.
'I find it very hard to think of it in my country, being an enemy of freedom of speech,' Mandleson told The Hill. That's not our value system; it's not our history.'
But for the British ambassador, knowing that Trump has his 'finger on the pulse' presents a challenge for him in his new role 'understanding and interpreting' the administration to the U.K.
'That's what I'm doing,' he adds.
He also said Trump and the U.S. have the 'heft and the leverage' to bring Russia to the negotiating table and broker peace in Ukraine, and that ultimately, it's Trump and U.S. allies that must prevail — not Putin.
'We need that not just for Ukraine, but for peace in Europe and for the safety of the world. There's only one country that will be cheering if the American president is defeated, and that's China,' he says.
When asked if he had any advice for Democrats after having helped his own party come back from the brink of chaos into power, Mandelson hesitated to share any outright wisdom, despite admitting to having helped 'dig out' the Labour Party in the past.
'All I'd say is: Don't fall back on a 'business as usual' approach. We didn't,' he explains.
Voters that deem a party to be more 'ideological' than driven by common sense, he warns, 'will part company from you'.
Mandelson has had, in his lifetime, many reinventions. Aside from helping the Labour Party return to power in the 90s, he's had a host of other high-power roles in the British government, including being a member of Parliament and a Cabinet member in former Prime Minister Tony Blair's government, which he had to resign from after scandal.
Mandelson resigned as Trade secretary in 1998 after British media wrote about a secret home loan he had received from a fellow minister. He later resigned as Northern Ireland secretary in 2001 over allegations he had helped facilitate a passport application from an Indian billionaire but was later cleared of wrongdoing.
He still holds a seat in the House of Lords.
After all that, he says, he strives to be 'uncontroversial', having had more than enough controversy in his life.
'Today, I think I'm really past the point in looking for more of it. I want to be known for my effectiveness in representing my country, its king and its government.'
It might also be why Mandelson says he has trouble sleeping these days: He worries about what he hasn't done, or done properly or thoroughly.
Most in Washington's tight-knit diplomatic scene know the British Embassy as being host to a high-profile guest list and colorful cast of characters to mingle with. In the past few months, the embassy has hosted parties including a wide range of Trump administration figures, including FBI Director Kash Patel and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, along with a smorgasbord of the city's who's who.
But Mandelson admits he's not the main star at the events at his residence. Instead, it's his 10-year-old border collie, Jock, who he says has 'done even better' than he has on the D.C. scene.
He isn't wrong. At parties, guests queue up to interact with Jock to play a game of fetch.
Every morning, Mandelson and Jock wake to the sounds of 'The Star-Spangled Banner' from the Vice President's home.
'There's no holding Jock after that, he's out of the door. But I love it too, because it makes me feel American, which is nice. I love living here.'
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