Donald Trump's unhinged latest and why Peter Mandelson's Epstein links could be a problem for him

 Donald Trump was asked about Peter Mandelson last night in the Oval Office, and gave a predictable answer.

"I don't know anything about it," he said, asked if the former Ambassador's (maybe) final downfall was something upon which he had a view. "It's too bad."

He gave a similar response during his state visit to the UK, when asked if he was disappointed that Mandelson, whom Trump seemed to get on with, would no longer be our man in Washington.

The White House Press Corps, deluged as they are with more news than they know what to do with, should really press him a bit more on this.

Before someone becomes an Ambassador, they not only have to go through vetting on their own side, but on the White House end too. The President has to give his approval for an Ambassador to take on the role. And while it's unusual for a candidate to be rejected, it's not unheard of.

There was already talk in the DC gossip grapevine that people had been in Trump's ear about Mandelson's links to Europe and his business interests in China being potential dealbreakers. I know this because I wrote about it at the time.

And given the Epstein files were, at that time, literally on the desk of Attorney General Pam Bondi, it seems implausible that the White House were unaware of Mandelson's long-running friendship with Epstein, and how badly compromised he was at risk of being.

But none of this appears to have mattered to Trump. Perhaps it was an oversight. Perhaps your closest ally having a compromised Ambassador was a bonus to him.

But either way, the fact that not only was he gleefully approved by Trump - but also that the US administration apparently didn't raise any concerns with the UK about Mandelson's links with Epstein - is a twist in this twisty tale that would benefit from further exploration.

Meanwhile in Trumpworld

Trump says he's "very innocent" and the "most honest person"

He chews out a reporter for not smiling about Epstein's victims

He spoke to Xi, and Xi spoke to Putin

He doubled down on his plan to seize elections

Here's everything you need to know.

1. Trump gathers Republicans in the Oval Office, gives them all hats

Donald Trump gathered a selection of House Republicans in the Oval Office last night to sign a budget bill to end the partial government shutdown that's been bubbling the last few days.

2. He doubled down on his plan to seize control of elections

After suggesting in an interview over the weekend that the Republican Party should take over the counting of elections in some states, Trump was asked in the Oval whether he really means that, and whether he knew that would be a pretty serious breach of the US Constitution.

Trump argued the States only act as an "agent" for the federal government on elections - which is not accurate.

"I want to see elections be honest, and if a state can't run an election, I think the people behind me [Republicans] should do something about it.

"If you think about it, the state is an agent for the federal govt on elections. Look at Detroit, Pennsylvania, Atlanta -- horrible corruption on elections."

There is no evidence that there was any large scale misconduct in elections in any of those places in the 2020 election, which Trump lost.

He added: "These are agents of the federal government to count the votes. If they can't count the votes legally and honestly, then somebody else to take over."

3. Then Bannon piled in

Steve Bannon, Trump's former top advisor and also an associate of Jeffrey Epstein, spelled it out for those not paying attention.

"You're damn right we're gonna have ICE surround the polls come November," he said on his War Room podcast.

"We're not gonna sit here and allow you to steal the country again," he continued. "And you can whine and cry and throw your toys out of the pram all you want, but we will never again allow an election to be stolen."