US President Donald Trump stirred controversy in Dublin on Saturday when he told Ireland’s Taoiseach (prime minister), Micheál Martin, that he would welcome a united Ireland, calling the prospect “a fantastic thing” and predicting it would happen “eventually.” The remarks came during a two-day state visit that also included a courtesy call with President Catherine Connolly and a stop at the Irish Open golf tournament.
Trump acknowledged that the United Kingdom would likely object, but added, “how can it be bad?” Northern Ireland, which remains part of the UK, has a long and often violent history tied to questions of unification with the Republic of Ireland, and any change to its status is governed by the principle that residents there must consent through a vote.
The comments drew swift pushback from unionist politicians in Northern Ireland, who favor staying in the UK. Democratic Unionist Party leader Gavin Robinson said the region’s future “will be decided by the people of Northern Ireland, not by commentary in London, Dublin or Washington.” Other unionist figures accused Trump of meddling in matters that don’t concern him.
Trump also praised US-Ireland relations as stronger than ever, citing trade talks with Martin, while dodging a question about Gaza policy, saying only that he had “a nice answer” he’d reveal later. For the full story, read the original report from BBC News.
Source: A united Ireland would be 'fantastic' says Trump during Irish visit (feeds.bbci.co.uk). English version produced with AI assistance.
Image: infomatique, BY-SA 2.0 (via Openverse).