President Donald Trump weighed in on Irish unification during his visit to Dublin on Saturday, calling the concept “fantastic.”
Trump made the comments alongside Ireland’s Prime Minister Micheál Martin, saying, “I don’t want to cause any problem. I will tell you, I’d love to see it unified.”
Trump acknowledged the sensitivity about the issue, saying the UK would “have something to say about it.” But he also speculated that unification is “going to happen eventually.”
At the US ambassador’s residence in Ireland, Trump added that there was “no good answer” about the conflict, according to The New York Times.
"Every question is a kill," he said. "They're going for the kill at all times and they ask me a question. 'What do you think about unification of Northern Ireland and Ireland?' I said, oh, that's a nice question. I gave a nice answer, I think. We'll read about it tomorrow. That's one of those questions where no matter what you say, no matter how well you say it, there's no good answer."
Trump’s comments mark a departure from the traditional US approach of being neutral on the matter of unification between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The 1998 Belfast Agreement, brokered by the US, brought an end to decades of violent conflict. Under the agreement, Northern Ireland remains part of the UK unless a majority of people in Northern Ireland vote otherwise.
This is not the first time Trump suggested unification. Earlier this year, he suggested a “merger” between Northern Ireland and Ireland because of the good relationship Martin has with Northern Ireland’s deputy first minister, Emma Little-Pengelly. Little-Pengelly later said the comment was “clearly a joke”
Trump’s latest comments invited criticism from unionists in Northern Ireland. Gavin Robinson, leader of the Democratic Unionist Party in Northern Ireland, said Trump “knows better than most that elections matter."
“Northern Ireland’s constitutional future will be decided by the people of Northern Ireland, not by commentary in London, Dublin or Washington,” he said. “Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom because that is the settled democratic will of its people.”
Trump made the comments alongside Ireland’s Prime Minister Micheál Martin, saying, “I don’t want to cause any problem. I will tell you, I’d love to see it unified.”
Trump acknowledged the sensitivity about the issue, saying the UK would “have something to say about it.” But he also speculated that unification is “going to happen eventually.”
At the US ambassador’s residence in Ireland, Trump added that there was “no good answer” about the conflict, according to The New York Times.
"Every question is a kill," he said. "They're going for the kill at all times and they ask me a question. 'What do you think about unification of Northern Ireland and Ireland?' I said, oh, that's a nice question. I gave a nice answer, I think. We'll read about it tomorrow. That's one of those questions where no matter what you say, no matter how well you say it, there's no good answer."
Trump’s comments mark a departure from the traditional US approach of being neutral on the matter of unification between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The 1998 Belfast Agreement, brokered by the US, brought an end to decades of violent conflict. Under the agreement, Northern Ireland remains part of the UK unless a majority of people in Northern Ireland vote otherwise.
This is not the first time Trump suggested unification. Earlier this year, he suggested a “merger” between Northern Ireland and Ireland because of the good relationship Martin has with Northern Ireland’s deputy first minister, Emma Little-Pengelly. Little-Pengelly later said the comment was “clearly a joke”
Trump’s latest comments invited criticism from unionists in Northern Ireland. Gavin Robinson, leader of the Democratic Unionist Party in Northern Ireland, said Trump “knows better than most that elections matter."
“Northern Ireland’s constitutional future will be decided by the people of Northern Ireland, not by commentary in London, Dublin or Washington,” he said. “Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom because that is the settled democratic will of its people.”
