Mandelson has Epstein ties and Blair linksA Blair-era crony handed a controversial US firm co-founded by a Trump ally a staggering £240million defence contract without putting it out to tender, an investigation has claimed. Peter Mandelson reportedly steered through the "strategic partnership" between the MoD and Palantir Technologies last September. The firm was founded by Peter Thiel, one of the US president's most loyal tech-bro backers. The deal was not subject to competitive tender and has raised serious questions about how the contract was awarded to the firm, the investigation alleges. National security experts have warned that the US firm's involvement in Britain's critical infrastructure represents a "gaping national security vulnerability" as Trump threatens NATO allies.