President Trump said he would “love” to see a unified Ireland – and predicted during his trip to the Emerald Isle Saturday that a merger between the Republican of Ireland and Northern Ireland is “going to happen eventually.”
The president’s comments come days after new British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said a referendum on Northern Ireland leaving the UK was “off the table.”
“I don’t want to cause any problems, but I will tell you, I’d love to see it unified. I have friends on both sides, great people,” Trump said when asked about the controversial topic on his two-day trip.
“They’re Irish people. How can they be bad, right? I’d love to see it unified. I think it would be a great feather in everybody’s cap if that happened. Now the UK will have something to say about it, obviously, but I think it would be a great thing. I mean, how can it be bad?”
The 1998 Good Friday Agreement empowers the British government to call such a referendum, and requires a majority vote in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland before unification can happen.
Northern Ireland has been under British rule since 1921.
Unification wasn’t the only UK issue Trump waded into on his trip.
He also spoke about the Falkland Islands, days after telling GB News he might not help if Argentina sought to seize the territory. Trump has been seething at the UK and other NATO allies for failing to provide sufficient assistance to the war in Iran.
Tensions are on an upswing between the two nations over the British territory, and Trump ally Argentinian President Javier Millei said in a speech last week that the islands “are our future.”
While appearing with Irish Toiseach Micheal Martin, Trump was asked about a recent conversation with Burnham and whether the Falklands – long claimed by Argentina – came up.
“I remember as a young boy, pretty young boy anyway, the Falkland Islands,” Trump said, referencing the 1982 conflict. Then he appeared to say the UK would have difficulty repelling a Falklands invasion by Argentina.
“I don’t know if they’re going to be willing to travel that far. That is very far away. You’re talking about weeks by boat,” Trump said, adding that he might consider playing a mediating role.
“I’m sure I’ll be called into that potential disaster.”
The president is set to travel later Saturday to his Doonbeg golf course in County Clare, where he is attending the Irish Open.
