Hours after the Donald Trump administration approves him as the UK ambassador to the US, Peter Mandelson said that his previous remarks against the US President were "ill-judged and wrong". The controversial British politician has previously called Trump “a danger to the world”.
Mandelson's approval for the post came despite the concerns of Trump's team over his link with China.
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Mandelson, in an interview with Fox News on Wednesday (Jan 29), said Donald Trump has won "fresh respect" with his “dynamism and energy”.
Foreign Office officials said that if things go smoothly, Mandelson would be formally confirmed to the position by February 2025.
'I think that times and attitudes...'
Mandelson, a former Labour minister, has been a critic of Trump for a long time. He has previously described the US President as a “bully” and “reckless and a danger to the world”.
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But in a recent interview, he said, “I consider my remarks about President Trump as ill-judged and wrong. I think that times and attitudes toward the president have changed since then.”
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“I think people have been impressed not just by the extraordinary second mandate that he has received from the American people, but by the dynamism and energy with which he approached not just the campaign but the government as well,” he further quipped.
Mandelson said Trump "certainly" has won respect from him and said that all the work he would do as "his majesty’s ambassador" will be based on that respect.
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'I’ve heard nothing'
When he was asked about the concerns of his appointment among Trump's team members, Mandelson said, “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.”
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Calling himself "an experienced and longstanding friend of the US", Mandelson said he believes Trump would focus on his credentials and "consider what’s best for the relationship going forward".
(With inputs from agencies)