Key Points
- UK Crisis: Ambassador Peter Mandelson and Chief of Staff Morgan McSweeney have resigned, leaving Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government in turmoil.
- French Fallout: Jack Lang has stepped down from the Arab World Institute after documents revealed over 670 mentions of his name in Epstein’s files.
- Norway Investigation: Former Prime Minister and Nobel Peace Prize Committee Chair Thorbjørn Jagland is under police investigation for corruption.
- Corporate and Diplomatic Impact: High,ranking figures at US law firm Paul, Weiss and officials at the UNHCR and in the Slovakian government have also vacated their posts.
- US Legal Action: Pressure is mounting for former Prince Andrew to provide sworn testimony to the US Congress following new evidence.
The release of the “Epstein Files” in early 2026 has moved beyond social media speculation into a full,blown international political crisis. What began as a series of leaked documents has evolved into a verifiable paper trail, exposing how the late Jeffrey Epstein leveraged his wealth to infiltrate the highest levels of global governance.
The fallout has been particularly severe in Europe, where the revelation of financial transactions and private email correspondence has made it impossible for several senior leaders to maintain their positions.
The British Government Under Siege
The United Kingdom is currently facing its most significant leadership challenge since the last general election. The crisis peaked with the resignation of Peter Mandelson, the former British Ambassador to the United States and a prominent member of the House of Lords. Records indicated that Epstein made three separate payments, totaling $75,000, to accounts linked to Mandelson.
The scandal has directly touched 10 Downing Street, leading to the departure of Morgan McSweeney, the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff. McSweeney, who played a pivotal role in Mandelson’s appointment to the Washington post, admitted that the failure to vet the ambassador’s ties to Epstein was a catastrophic oversight. Meanwhile, the legal team for Prince Andrew is reportedly under immense pressure as US lawmakers demand he appear before a congressional committee to address newly surfaced evidence regarding his visits to Epstein’s properties.
Investigations and Resignations in France and Norway
In France, the cultural and political establishment is reeling from the resignation of Jack Lang. The former Culture Minister stepped down as president of the Arab World Institute after his name was found 670 times within the unsealed files. French authorities have launched a formal financial investigation into Lang and his associates, a move that also prompted the resignation of his daughter, Caroline Lang, from her professional duties.
Norway has also been pulled into the center of the storm. Former Prime Minister Thorbjørn Jagland, widely known for his tenure as the chair of the Nobel Peace Prize committee, is the subject of a police corruption probe. The investigation focuses on hundreds of emails exchanged with Epstein, raising questions about whether the financier attempted to influence high,level international appointments or awards. In a related move, the Norwegian Ambassador to Jordan has resigned, and veteran diplomat Mona Juul has been suspended pending a full review.
Institutional Collapse and Corporate Accountability
The shockwaves have extended into the private sector and humanitarian organizations. Brad Karp, the powerful chairman of the New York,based law firm Paul, Weiss, resigned his post after documents detailed his extensive professional and personal links to the Epstein estate.
On the diplomatic stage, Miroslav Lajčák, former Foreign Minister of Slovakia and UN veteran, has left his current role, joined by Joanna Rubinstein, a senior official at the UNHCR in Sweden. Analysts suggest these resignations are only the beginning, as forensic accountants and investigative journalists continue to parse through thousands of pages of flight logs, bank transfers, and encrypted messages that comprise the secret history of Epstein’s global network.
