Taoiseach Micheál Martin and US president Donald Trump exchanged warms words and mutual compliments during a series of events in Washington DC on Wednesday, even as Mr Trump said he would escalate his trade dispute with the EU with further tariffs.
Mr Trump praised the Taoiseach and expressed affection and admiration for Ireland but spoke about the EU as an opponent of the US that had been treating United States “unfairly” for decades.
After days of trepidation in the Irish Government that the Taoiseach could be facing the sort of Oval Office treatment meted out to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy last month, there were sighs of relief among the Taoiseach’s party after the day’s events.
Mr Martin himself said later the meeting was “very positive”, adding that he was he was focused on presenting the narrative that there is a two-way trade relationship between Ireland and the US.
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Speaking to reporters following the Oval Office meeting, he said: “It’s very clear that the president likes Ireland. He has strong affection for the Irish people.”
Mr Martin began the day with a breakfast hosted by vice-president JD Vance at his residence. The event struck the tone for the day with Mr Martin praising “the focus and effort that president Trump and his administration has brought” to efforts to find peace in Ukraine and the Middle East.
“As it has always been, the US remains an indispensable partner and global actor,” he said.
The vice-president spoke warmly about a visit to Ireland and showed off shamrock-patterned socks.
At a packed Oval Office press conference, president Trump dominated proceedings, speaking at length on a variety of national and international issues while Mr Martin sat beside him, making occasional interventions.
The Taoiseach did not challenge Mr Trump when he sharply criticised the EU for alleged unfair trade practices, though he strongly made the point that the Ireland-US economic relationship is a two-way street, with Irish companies also investing in the US. He cited giant orders for airliners placed with Boeing by Ryanair and AerCap, an Irish-based aircraft leasing company.
Mr Trump said there is a “massive deficit” with Ireland but added that he would do what he could address it in a “nice way”.
“I think the Irish love Trump,” he said. “I have been there many times and we don’t want to do anything to hurt Ireland but we want fairness.”
In response to questions form reporters, Mr Trump did not appear to know that the Sinn Féin leadership was boycotting St Patrick’s Day events and nor did his engage with questions about the Occupied Territories Bill, appearing to have little interest in the topic.
Relieved that the Oval Office encounter had passed off without incident, Mr Martin joined president Trump for the trip to Capitol Hill, where both men spoke at the annual Congressional Friends of Ireland lunch hosted by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson.
“You are a great friend of Ireland,” Mr Martin told the president, while Mr Trump praised Irish people’s contribution to the United States.
Mr Martin remained on Capitol Hill for meetings with Congressional leaders before returning again to the White House in the early evening for a reception and the presentation of the traditional bowl of shamrock to the President.
Speaking before the White House ceremony, Mr Martin said that he had briefed Congressional leaders on progress in Northern Ireland, a key concern of US policymakers for many years.
“I briefed them on the progress that has been made now between the UK government and the Irish Government and also the progress within Northern Ireland itself and the Executive over a year in existence and going well, and the chemistry between the First Minister and Deputy First Minister and so on, being very positive,” Mr Martin said.
He said lessons from Northern Ireland can be applied to the Middle East and Ukraine.
Mr Martin said that Mr Trump had been “interested in Northern Ireland in terms of the peace there, how are things holding, and I spoke about the importance of reconciliation and how reconciliation is an ongoing journey for all of us.”
He added: “We applied some of the lessons of that to Ukraine and to the Middle East. So overall, a very positive – I thought – engagement.”
Introducing Mr Martin at the evening ceremony, Mr Trump said: “He’s a very popular guy in Ireland, and that’s not easy, I know.”
