US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he supports the reunification of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland during a visit to Dublin that saw protests against him, while supporters of Northern Ireland remaining part of the United Kingdom rejected his position. During a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, Trump said he would like to see Northern Ireland unite with the Republic of Ireland, describing reunification as “a wonderful thing.”
Trump predicts Irish reunification will eventually happen
In my view, this will eventually happen
London reaffirmed on Saturday that its position had not changed, with a British government spokesperson referring reporters to Burnham’s pledge to “100% uphold the Good Friday Agreement.” Democratic Unionist Party leader Gavin Robinson rejected the US president’s remarks, saying Irish reunification would lead to “the destruction of our country.”
The party is the largest political force supporting Northern Ireland remaining part of the United Kingdom. The island of Ireland has been divided since 1921 between the Republic of Ireland in the south and Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom.
Good Friday Agreement sets out referendum process
The United States played a key role in reaching the agreement, while former US presidents, including Joe Biden, maintained a neutral position on the issue of Irish reunification. Irish President Catherine Connolly received Trump in Dublin. After the meeting, she said she had conveyed to him “the strong position of the Irish people, namely that normalising war and genocide can never be accepted.”
The visit coincided with at least 2,000 people demonstrating in Dublin, raising Palestinian flags and banners opposing the visit and chanting that Trump was not welcome. Some protesters also set fire to a US flag, while smaller protests were held at Shannon Airport and in the town of Doonbeg.
After a brief visit to the US embassy, Trump travelled to his resort in Doonbeg, where the Irish Open golf tournament is being held on a course bought by the Trump Organization in 2014. Reports said he might present the tournament trophy to the winner on Sunday.
