Ireland

In Dublin, Trump Says He'd 'Love to See' a United Ireland

Is this empty flattery that undermines a vital alliance or weighty backing that should spur real planning?

4 hours ago·Updated 2 hours ago

In Dublin, Trump Says He'd 'Love to See' a United Ireland

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Above: Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Donald Trump at Farmleigh House in Dublin, Ireland, on Sept. 12. Image credit: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

The Spin

Anti-Trump narrative

Trump's talk of a united Ireland is empty flattery meant to please his hosts, and it deserves a swift correction. Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom, and no foreign leader gets to muse about breaking up another country. Frustration with the current British government is no excuse for doing lasting damage to a vital alliance.

Rupert Lowe on X

Jamie Bryson on X

Pro-Trump narrative

American engagement has underpinned peace in Ireland for decades, so a president backing reunification carries real weight. The comments are timely and should push the Taoiseach to start serious planning for a united Ireland instead of stalling.

Mary Lou McDonald on X

Simon Harris's Substack on Substack