GEORGE MITCHELL, WHO was honoured for his work in the Irish peace process, has been removed from a scholarship programme that bears his name due his links to the Epstein scandal. 

The board of directors of the US-Ireland Alliance has unanimously agreed that its George J. Michell Scholarship program should no longer bear the former Senator’s name.

Mitchell, 92, had chaired the talks during the negotiations of the Good Friday Agreement.

The latest release of the Epstein files show that Mitchell and Epstein had a large number of emails between 2010 and 2013 arranging meetings. 

Trina Vargo, founder and president of the US-Ireland Alliance, said the group took the decision because of the links between Jeffrey Epstein and Mitchell.  

The Scholarship is a program that sends American students to Ireland and Northern Ireland for a year of graduate study.

In 2025, the Alliance marked its 25th consecutive class of Scholars. A statement released today said the decision was unrelated to the Scholarship program being currently as the Alliance seeks to raise an endowment for the program.

“We are extremely proud of the program 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.

“This decision allows us to focus on our mission to strengthen the ties between the US and the island of Ireland. Given the current state of the relationship, that is more important than ever,” said Vargo.

Vargo noted that, in the short term, the Alliance will refer to the Scholars as the US-Ireland Alliance Scholars.

Mitchell served as the US Senate majority leader from 1989 to 1995. He was later appointed as special envoy to Northern Ireland by President Bill Clinton. Clinton has also made appearances in the Epstein files. 

The former senator has been praised repeatedly or his work on the Good Friday Agreement.

In court documents released in 2019, Mitchell was accused of having had sexual intercourse with high profile, and now deceased Epstein victim, Virginia Giuffre. She was also linked to the former Prince Andrew. 

In a statement issued to The Journal from a US based public relations firm, a spokesman for Mitchell claimed that the claims of a connection to Giuffre were in correct. 

“In the recently released documents, an allegation involving Senator Mitchell by Ms. Virginia Giuffre is repeated. 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.

“Senator Mitchell reiterates unequivocally that he never met, spoke with, or had any contact of any kind with Ms. Giuffre or with any underage women,” the statement said. 

Mitchell’s spokesman said that his client did not see any wrongdoing by Epstein but did express regret for knowing him.

“At no time did Senator Mitchell observe, suspect, or have any knowledge of Epstein engaging in illegal or inappropriate conduct with underage women.

“He learned of Epstein’s criminal activity only through media reports related to Epstein’s Florida prosecution and declined or deflected the few invitations to events extended by Epstein’s office in the years that followed.

“Senator Mitchell profoundly regrets ever having known Jeffrey Epstein and condemns, without reservation, the horrific harm Epstein inflicted on so many women,” the statement added.