By Kate Nicholson

Copyright huffingtonpost

Donald Trump just refused to answer a question about former US ambassador Peter Mandelson’s historic links to Jeffrey Epstein today by claiming he does not even know him.

Mandelson was sacked by Keir Starmer last week when it emerged that he had encouraged the late, convicted sex offender Epstein to challenge his prison sentence back in 2008.

It came after months of difficulties for Trump on the other side of the Atlantic over his own former friendship with the notorious financier.

But the US president just side-stepped queries about Mandelson’s sacking today – despite working together since Trump was re-elected back in January.

During a joint press conference with Starmer in Chequers, Sky News’ Beth Rigby asked: “The elephant in the room, Lord Mandelson. He is no longer the ambassador.

Do you have some sympathy with him that he lost his job over historic links to Jeffrey Epstein?”

Trump replied: “I don’t know him, actually, and I think the prime minister might be better speaking over that considering that was a choice he made.”

Trump then lent around to Starmer’s lectern and said: “I don’t know, what is your answer to that?”

The prime minister replied: “It’s pretty straightforward – some information came to light last week that wasn’t available when he was appointed and I made a decision about it and that’s very clear.”

Mandelson and Trump did actually spend a notable amount of time together before the ambassador was sacked, and have been pictured in the Oval Office discussing the UK-US trade deal earlier this year.

But the president’s delicate response comes after the UK has given Trump particularly special treatment over the last 48 hours, wooing him with all royal splendour during his “unprecedented” second state visit to Britain.

It appears the president responded in kind by offering up a press conference which was pretty uneventful by Trump’s standards.