Queen’s University Belfast has cut ties with a former US senator who played a central role in brokering the Belfast Agreement over his links to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
On Monday, the university confirmed it had taken the decision to remove the name of George J Mitchell from a flagship research centre called the Institute of Global Peace, Security and Justice.
A commemorative bust of Mitchell is also to be removed from the university campus.
“This decision follows the emergence of new information contained in the Epstein files released on Friday, which include references to Senator Mitchell,” the university said.
“While no findings of wrongdoing by Senator Mitchell have been made, the university has concluded that, in light of this material, and mindful of the experiences of victims and survivors, it is no longer appropriate for its institutional spaces and entities to continue to bear his name.”
In a statement issued to the BBC on Monday, a spokesperson for Mitchell said he “profoundly regrets” ever having known Epstein and “condemns, without reservation, the horrific harm Epstein inflicted on so many women”.
Mitchell did “not observe, suspect or have any knowledge of Epstein engaging in illegal or inappropriate conduct with underage women”, according to the spokesperson.
The former Democratic senator chaired the negotiations that led to the signing of the landmark 1998 peace deal that brought an end to the Troubles.
He has a long-standing association with Queen’s where he was chancellor from 1999 to 2009.
He was invited to give a keynote at the university three years ago to mark the 25th anniversary of the peace accord.
The latest release of documents on Epstein show emails between him and Mitchell following the paedophile’s first conviction.
On Monday, Queen’s said it had a global reputation in peace, reconciliation and justice, and therefore must “ensure that its honours and symbols reflect the highest standards consistent with its values and responsibilities”.
The development comes a day after the US-Ireland Alliance announced that its George J Mitchell scholarship programme would no longer bear his name.
The scholarship sends US postgraduate students to universities in Ireland and Northern Ireland and was set up to honour Mitchell for his work.
Trina Vargo, founder and president of the US-Ireland Alliance, said its decision “allows us to focus on our mission to strengthen the ties between the US and the island of Ireland”.
“We are extremely proud of the programme and the scholars, and this turn of events in no way diminishes their achievements or our commitment to keeping them connected to the island, the alliance and each other.”
“Given the current state of the relationship [between the US and Ireland] that is more important than ever.”
Established in 1998, the programme sends US postgraduate students to institutions in the Republic and Northern Ireland for a year of graduate study.
The alliance marked its 25th consecutive class of scholars last year but, because of a pausing of the programme announced in March 2024 due to funding issues, a scholarship class for 2026 was not selected. The alliance is continuing its efforts to raise an endowment for its programme.
The alliance statement did not specify what information in Friday’s release by the US department of justice of some three million documents from the files of the disgraced deceased financier had led to its decision.
In September 2025 it was reported a 2003 scrapbook of greetings celebrating Epstein’s 50th birthday included a handwritten note from Mitchell describing Epstein as “a good friend”.
[ What is in the latest Epstein files? The key revelations so farOpens in new window ]
Jeffrey Epstein in 2017. Photograph: AP
Virginia Giuffre, a sex-trafficking victim who died last April, had named Mitchell as among the men she was forced to have sex with by Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former girlfriend who is serving a 20-year sentence for conspiring to traffic minors.
Mitchell, aged 92, denied meeting or having any contact with Giuffre and told the BBC her allegation was “false”.
In a new statement to the BBC, a spokesperson for Mitchell said: “In the recently released documents, an allegation involving Senator Mitchell by Ms Virginia Giuffre is repeated.
[ More than 1,600 references to Ireland in latest Epstein filesOpens in new window ]
“It was first made public in 2020 and denied at the time. That allegation is based on a case of mistaken identity.
“In 2021, Ms Giuffre supplied a photograph to OK Magazine, which incorrectly captioned it as depicting Senator Mitchell standing behind Jeffrey Epstein. The individual in the photograph was not Senator Mitchell.
“The publisher acknowledged the incorrect caption and removed it.”