US President Donald Trump has reiterated his support for the unification of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, dismissing opposition to the idea from British Prime Minister Andy Burnham. During a visit to his golf resort in Doonbeg, County Clare, on Sunday, Trump addressed the British leader’s recent stance that a referendum on the issue was off the table. “Everybody says that. Then things happen,” the president remarked, adding that he views the unification of the island as “one of the naturals of all time.”
Trump’s comments, first made on Saturday at the start of his two-day trip, caused significant political stir on both sides of the Irish Sea. The president stated he would “love” to see a united Ireland and suggested it “may as well happen now.” These remarks have challenged the long-standing tradition of White House neutrality regarding the constitutional status of Northern Ireland. Downing Street responded by noting that Burnham maintains there is currently insufficient support to trigger a referendum under the 1998 Good Friday agreement.
While in County Clare, Trump also announced he would remove tariffs on Irish whiskey. The 10% levy, which was part of broader White House measures against European Union imports, had previously placed Irish whiskey at a competitive disadvantage compared to scotch and Northern Ireland varieties. “Everyone’s been bugging me,” Trump told the crowd at his resort while presenting the Irish Open trophy to Shane Lowry. “They say ‘will you do me a favour, it’s so unfair, could you possibly take the tariffs off Irish whiskey?’ And I said ‘on behalf of the United States of America I’m going to take the tariffs off Irish whiskey’.”
The president expressed satisfaction with the ensuing controversy, stating he had received significant support for his views on unification. When asked about potential independence for Scotland, Trump declined to comment, saying he would “save that” for later. Meanwhile, representatives from Sinn Féin, the Scottish National party, and Plaid Cymru are scheduled to meet in Cardiff on Monday to discuss strategies for constitutional change.
The reaction in the UK and Ireland has been divided. Irish nationalists, including former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams, welcomed the president’s support, criticizing past Irish governments for failing to plan for unification. Conversely, Conservative party members and Northern Irish unionists condemned the remarks. Ian Paisley Jr, a former Democratic Unionist party MP, stated that while the president is entitled to a personal opinion, the political and cultural reality remains that Northern Ireland intends to stay British.
UK communities secretary Angela Rayner downplayed the significance of the comments, telling Sky News that “the president will say and speak his mind as he sees it” and affirming the government's commitment to the Good Friday agreement. Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin also sought to calm the situation, suggesting there had been an “overreaction” to the president’s perspective.
Some in the crowd cheered Trump’s name and chanted “USA”.
On Sunday Trump expressed delight at the controversy. “Many people agree. I made what I considered to be a fairly routine comment, I have had so much support on that,” he said.
