Epstein files fallout: Toppling govts in Europe while Trump-led US insulated so far | Explained
The release of millions of pages of documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein by the US DoJ last month has sent shockwaves through Europe.
The Epstein files emerged out of the United States, but most of the fallout they have caused has been concentrated across the Atlantic, in Europe. The release of millions of pages of documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein by the US Department of Justice last month has sent shockwaves through Europe, with a prince, an ambassador, senior diplomats and top politicians bringing down the revelations.
The files have ended careers and triggered political and criminal investigations across multiple countries.
Interestingly, the US has largely been insulated from the fallout from the files, even with big names like President Donald Trump and former President Bill Clinton mentioned in them.
The UK fallout
The United Kingdom has seen public careers end — from Prince Andrew stepping away from the royal family to the country's former ambassador to the US, Peter Mandelson, stepping down from the House of Lords.
Mandelson is now under criminal investigation, while British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing a leadership crisis over his appointment.
Mandelson, a veteran of the ruling Labour Party and once one of the most influential politicians of his generation, had long downplayed his relationship with Epstein, despite calling him “my best pal” in 2003.
The newly released documents show that contact continued for years after Epstein’s 2008 prison sentence for sexual offences involving a minor. In a July 2009 message, Mandelson appeared to refer to Epstein’s release as “liberation day”.
{{/usCountry}}The newly released documents show that contact continued for years after Epstein’s 2008 prison sentence for sexual offences involving a minor. In a July 2009 message, Mandelson appeared to refer to Epstein’s release as “liberation day”.
{{/usCountry}}Starmer fired Mandelson from the ambassadorship in September following earlier revelations. But after the latest release, the British police have launched a criminal investigation into whether Mandelson committed misconduct in public office by passing sensitive government information to Epstein. He resigned from the House of Lords and the Labour Party earlier this week due to the fallout.
{{/usCountry}}Starmer fired Mandelson from the ambassadorship in September following earlier revelations. But after the latest release, the British police have launched a criminal investigation into whether Mandelson committed misconduct in public office by passing sensitive government information to Epstein. He resigned from the House of Lords and the Labour Party earlier this week due to the fallout.
{{/usCountry}}PM Starmer has apologised to Epstein’s victims and pledged to release public documents that he says will show Mandelson lied during vetting for the ambassadorial post. The prime minister is now facing open rebellion from within his party over what critics describe as a catastrophic failure of judgment.
Royal scandal
{{/usCountry}}PM Starmer has apologised to Epstein’s victims and pledged to release public documents that he says will show Mandelson lied during vetting for the ambassadorial post. The prime minister is now facing open rebellion from within his party over what critics describe as a catastrophic failure of judgment.
Royal scandal
{{/usCountry}}As for Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the brother of King Charles III, he had lost his military honours, princely title and taxpayer-funded residence even before the latest disclosures. But as more revelations come forth, he seems to be falling deep into the pit.
None of the figures, apart from Andrew, face allegations of sexual wrongdoing. What has brought them down is maintaining friendly relationships with Epstein long after he became a convicted sex offender.
“Epstein collected powerful people the way others collect frequent flyer points. But the receipts are now in public, and some might wish they’d travelled less,” the Associated Press quoted Mark Stephens, a specialist in international and human rights law at Howard Kennedy in London, as saying.
Rest of Europe
The fallout in Europe has been far greater, and a few countries have been as destabilised by the Epstein files as Norway.
Norway’s economic crimes unit has opened a corruption investigation into former prime minister Thorbjørn Jagland, who also once headed the Nobel Peace Prize committee. His lawyer has said Jagland will cooperate with investigators.
Also ensnared is a high-profile diplomatic couple, Mona Juul and Terje Rød-Larsen, key figures in the Oslo Accords. Juul has been suspended as Norway’s ambassador to Jordan after it emerged that Epstein left the couple’s children $10 million in a will drawn up shortly before his death in a New York prison in 2019.
Another royal scandal
Public confidence in Norway’s monarchy has also been shaken. The files detail friendly, jokey exchanges between Epstein and Crown Princess Mette-Marit, including emails planning visits, dental appointments, and shopping trips.
Princess Mette-Marit was mentioned at least 1,000 times in the last batch of Epstein files. She issued a public apology on Friday, saying she was sorry “to all of you whom I have disappointed”.
The disclosures have compounded her problems as her son from a previous relationship, Marius Borg Høiby, is also facing trial in Oslo on rape charges, which he denies.
Resignations fly
In Slovakia, former foreign minister Miroslav Lajčák resigned as national security adviser after documents revealed extensive communications with Epstein, including messages discussing “gorgeous” girls and meetings with political leaders.
In Sweden, UN official Joanna Rubinstein quit after disclosures of a 2012 visit to Epstein’s Caribbean island.
Latvia, Lithuania and Poland have launched wide-ranging official investigations into the documents. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said his government would scour the files for potential Polish victims and any links between Epstein and Russian intelligence services.
Poland has framed its probe as a national security issue, citing concerns that Epstein’s operation may have been used to gather kompromat, compromising material, for foreign intelligence services. The documents reportedly include thousands of references to Russia and mentions of President Vladimir Putin.
Why is America unaffected?
Documents related to Epstein were released after public pressure over the issue escalated into a political crisis for US President Donald Trump’s administration, forcing a rare bipartisan push to open federal investigative files, news agency the Associated Press reported. Yet the long-awaited disclosures have not, at least so far, produced the same scale of political consequences in the country.
“If you’re in those files, it’s immediately a big story. It suggests to me we have a more functional media, we have a more functional accountability structure, that there is still a degree of shame in politics,” AP quoted Rob Ford, professor of political science at the University of Manchester, as saying
According to the executive director of the Institute for Government think tank, Alex Thomas, the parliamentary systems amplify accountability.
“There is something about parliamentary democracy, with its need for a prime minister to retain the confidence of Parliament to stay in office, that I think does help drive accountability,” he said.
A handful of high-profile Americans have faced consequences. Former US treasury secretary Larry Summers took leave from academic roles. Brad Karp resigned as chair of the law firm Paul Weiss. The NFL is investigating ties between Epstein and New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch.
Former President Bill Clinton has been compelled to testify before Congress, while Trump continues to face questions about his past association with Epstein.
Neither Clinton nor Trump has been accused of wrongdoing by Epstein’s victims.
