By Trendsetter Tribune 
BELFAST — The historic achievements of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement are facing an unexpected and “toxic” reappraisal this week as the names of its primary architects, Bill Clinton and George Mitchell, dominate the latest release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. As of Tuesday, February 24, 2026, the fallout has already led to the swift removal of Mitchell’s name from prestigious Northern Irish institutions, casting what commentators are calling “radioactive dust” over the region’s hard-won peace legacy.
The Dismantling of a Hero: George Mitchell
For nearly 30 years, former U.S. Senator George Mitchell has been revered in Belfast as a “god-like” figure who broke the stalemate of the Troubles. That status was effectively dismantled earlier this month following the release of millions of DOJ documents.
- Queen’s University Belfast: On February 2, the university took the unprecedented step of removing Mitchell’s name from the Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice. A bust of the former chancellor was also removed from the campus.
- The Evidence: While no legal findings of wrongdoing have been made, the university cited “new information” in the files, which included over 330 references to Mitchell. Emails suggest Epstein tried to arrange several meetings and lunches with Mitchell as late as 2013—long after Epstein’s 2008 conviction.
- The Giuffre Allegations: The documents also repeat a 2015 allegation from survivor Virginia Giuffre, who claimed she was instructed to have sex with Mitchell. Mitchell has vehemently denied this, calling it a case of “mistaken identity.”
- The Mitchell Scholarship: The U.S.-Ireland Alliance has officially dropped Mitchell’s name from its postgraduate scholarship program, stating that his association with Epstein made it “no longer appropriate” to bear his name.
Clinton in the Crosshairs
While Mitchell’s fallout has been immediate in Belfast, former President Bill Clinton is facing his own “moment of reckoning” this week.
- Congressional Testimony: Clinton is scheduled to testify later this week—on February 27—before a congressional investigation into the Epstein network. He will become the first former U.S. president to testify in the ongoing probe.
- The “Flight Log” Shadow: Clinton’s presence in Epstein’s flight logs (from 2002–2003) remains a central point of inquiry, though he has consistently denied knowledge of Epstein’s crimes.
- Legacy Threat: Analysts warn that if Clinton is further linked to Epstein’s “predations” during his testimony, his most precious foreign policy achievement—weaning the IRA from violence—could be permanently tainted in the public eye.
Northern Ireland’s Reaction: “Feet of Clay”
The response in Northern Ireland has been a mix of heartbreak and political pragmatism.
| Institution / Figure | Reaction |
| Belfast City Council | Currently debating a proposal to rescind Mitchell’s Freedom of the City, a rare move supported by both nationalist and unionist parties. |
| Bertie Ahern | The former Irish Taoiseach has stood by Mitchell, stating he has seen nothing to “alter his view” of Mitchell’s expertise and character. |
| Peter Mandelson | The former Northern Ireland Secretary is also under police investigation for his own Epstein links, further darkening the “Good Friday glow.” |
| Public Sentiment | Local commentators have described the revelations as a “bleak conjunction,” as the peace process itself slides into shadow amidst Stormont’s ongoing dysfunction. |
“How should we react when we discover that someone, once accorded almost god-like status, turns out to have feet of clay?” — Alex Kane, political commentator, Feb 24, 2026
The “Common Ground” Irony
In a final, poignant irony, observers have noted that the scandal has managed to do something the peace process often struggled to achieve: unite Northern Ireland’s disparate political factions. Both the DUP and Sinn Féin have largely aligned in their support for removing the “contaminated” names from public squares, reflecting a shared desire to protect the integrity of the peace process from the stain of the Epstein scandal.