A prince, an ambassador, senior diplomats, top politicians. All brought down by the Jeffrey Epstein files. And all in Europe, rather than the United States.

The huge trove of Epstein documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice has sent shock waves through Europe’s political, economic and social elites — dominating headlines, ending careers and spurring political and criminal investigations.

Former U.K. Ambassador to Washington Peter Mandelson was fired and could go to prison. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces a leadership crisis over the Mandelson appointment. Senior figures have fallen in Norway, Sweden and Slovakia. And, even before the latest batch of files, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, brother of King Charles III, lost his honors, princely title and taxpayer-funded mansion.

  • Bwaz@lemmy.world
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    4 hours ago

    Has nothing to do with which country is doing the redactions, of course.

  • ChunkMcHorkle@lemmy.world
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    5 hours ago

    They released this tranche of Epstein files Friday, January 30, 2026 – the same day many people across the US were spontaneously protesting against ICE.

    It’s one thing when you feed the drama mill and send everyone scurrying for whatever little tidbits of meat there are to find in a set of dead files.

    It’s quite another when across all fifty states people are just showing up voluntarily to reject your claim to power.

    Don’t be deceived. They released them when they did and in the way they did because the Epstein files, as bad as they are and as wide in scope as they reach, are by far the LESSER danger to this regime and their absolute need to stay in power.

  • Formfiller@lemmy.world
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    9 hours ago

    “Muted” is a weird way of saying that there will be no consequences at all and if you disagree masked men will show up and disappear you or shoot you in the face and call you a terrorist on tv if you’re lucky enough to have someone catch your execution on video

  • blazeknave@lemmy.world
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    9 hours ago

    I watch a lot of YouTube about this stuff. Neither the randos nor the mainstream have asked the question I’m thinking 24/7 - how does any other sovereign nation know these files are compiled, involving their own leadership, and aren’t suing the US for access?

  • Treczoks@lemmy.world
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    10 hours ago

    Well, with the biggest fish in the Epstein sea is protecting his own flock in the US. Here in Europe, there is still public scrutiny and there is justice.

  • HazardousBanjo@lemmy.world
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    14 hours ago

    “Why isn’t the US government prosecuting the pedophilic billionaire death cult?”

    My dude, the US government IS the pedophilic billionaire death cult.

  • Gammelfisch@lemmy.world
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    8 hours ago

    Those sick bastards should lose everything and then some. Their assets and finances should be used toward education, healthcare and public services which help the lower class.

  • Riddick3001@lemmy.world
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    15 hours ago

    If I were a conspiracy theorist I would say that the release of the Files were redacted in such a way to topple political adversaries in Europe. I mean that goal is part the Heritage Project 2025.

  • Deacon@lemmy.world
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    11 hours ago

    That’s because Project 2025 flooding the zone blew out our Overton Window like the fucking Kool-Aid Man.

  • NostraDavid@programming.dev
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    10 hours ago

    toppled top figures

    Who? I know of one guy from the UK - Peter Mandelson, as named in the article and summary. Who else?

    edit: Have the Norwegian Royals been kicked yet?

    edit: Oh, I forgot about Prince Andrew!

    edit: Was that it?

    • SaraTonin@lemmy.world
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      8 hours ago

      I’ve seen political pundits saying how bad the feeling in the Labour Party is and how no prime minister has ever managed to survive anything even remotely similar

      But it hasn’t happened yet, Starmer has historically low polling numbers anyway, and i don’t think that many political wonks believed he would still be leader come the next election anyway

  • neidu3@sh.itjust.works
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    10 hours ago

    That’s because the unredacted European names are distractions from the redacted mentions of the orange lardsack.

  • Berengaria_of_Navarre@lemmy.world
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    10 hours ago

    I wonder why they redacted the word “don’t” 🤔. Almost like someone called don with a last name beginning with t appeared so many times they needed to automate the redaction of his name.

    • SaraTonin@lemmy.world
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      8 hours ago

      Oh surely not. It would literally be illegal to teach a name like that. I’m sure they wouldn’t…

  • HamFistedVegan@lemmy.world
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    15 hours ago

    It’s almost as if the US is an oligarchy and that the ultra wealthy are able to govern the nation with political influence and shield themselves from the law.

    This should be a wake up call to all citizens. It doesn’t matter who you elect. Your interests will never be represented until this oligarchy is broken up or destroyed.