Donald Trump has said he would “love” to see a united Ireland and that it “may as well happen now.” The US president appeared to support the push for constitutional change on the island at the start of a two-day visit to Ireland on Saturday. His unexpected comment prompted a quick response from the UK government and Northern Ireland’s unionist leaders.
“I don’t want to cause any problems, but I will tell you, I’d love to see it unified,” Trump told reporters at a joint press conference with Taoiseach Micheál Martin in Dublin. “I think it would be a great feather in everybody’s cap if that happened. You know what? The way I look at it, it’s going to happen eventually. It may as well happen now.”
Trump said uniting Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland would be “fantastic.” “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 comment surprised his hosts and came two weeks after Andy Burnham said a referendum on unification was “off the table,” which angered Sinn Féin and other Irish nationalists.
Speaking later on Saturday, Trump acknowledged that his comments on unification, made in response to a reporter’s question, would be controversial. “No matter what you say or how you say it, there’s no good answer,” he said. “I gave a nice answer, I think. We’ll worry about it tomorrow.” He added that unification would be a “very cool thing.”
A Downing Street spokesperson said the prime minister still believed there was not enough support for unification to trigger a referendum, as set out in the Good Friday Agreement.
Gavin Robinson, leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), said Northern Ireland’s constitutional future would be decided by its people, not by comments in London, Dublin, or Washington.
“Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom because that is the settled democratic will of its people. I am confident Northern Ireland will continue to choose the UK and the security it offers. As unionists, we are not interested in the destruction of our country by joining with the Irish republic.”
Colum Eastwood, an MP and former leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), and a frequent critic of Trump, posted a clip of the president’s remarks on social media and wrote: “Always liked him.”
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said: “President Trump is shooting from the hip as usual, just like he did with Greenland and Canada becoming the 51st state. This sort of loose talk about the future of democratic countries is deeply unhelpful and creates unnecessary tension.”
Trump’s comments differed from those of his predecessors, who sought to keep the White House neutral on Ireland’s constitutional future, but the off-the-cuff nature of the remarks suggested there was no change in US policy.
Trump’s unofficial visit is centred on golf – he flew on Saturday afternoon to his resort in Doonbeg, County Clare, which is hosting the Irish Open – but started with a courtesy call in Dublin to Áras an Uachtaráin, the official residence and workplace of Irish president Catherine Connolly.
Before her election to the ceremonial post last year, Connolly called Trump a bully and criticised his policies in Gaza and Iran. Their brief encounter, behind closed doors, appeared to go smoothly despite a coded critique of White House policies.After signing up for the email and newsletter, view the image in fullscreen. Donald Trump and Catherine Connolly are pictured at her presidential residence in Phoenix Park, Dublin. Photograph: Tony Maxwell/PA. Connolly later said in a statement that she “conveyed the strong view of the Irish people that the normalisation of war and genocide can never be accepted” and stressed the importance of the United Nations – an organisation Trump has disparaged. Trump said they had a wide-ranging discussion, including about energy and water, and that Connolly was “terrific”. Trump held a separate meeting with Martin at Phoenix Park, where he told the press that Iran would seek peace after the US midterm elections and repeated his claim that his war had prevented Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. When asked about protests against his visit – a large crowd was expected in central Dublin, 5 miles away, as well as at Doonbeg – the president said he had not seen any protests. View the image in fullscreen. Spectators watch as Air Force One flies Trump over the Irish Open in Doonbeg, County Clare. Photograph: Damien Eagers/PA. Speaking to guests at the US ambassador’s residence, Trump attacked US Democrats as extremists and criticised Europe’s approach to immigration. He praised US-Irish relations but repeated a complaint about the American pharmaceutical giants in Ireland. “You took all our medical companies, we’ve got to get a couple of them back. You fleeced us but that’s OK. There’s a lot of room to go around and our relationship with you is fantastic.” As he left Dublin, a crowd at the Garden of Remembrance waved banners and chanted: “Donald Trump, can you hear? We don’t want you here.” Trump is expected to stay overnight in Doonbeg and present the Irish Open trophy before returning to Washington on Sunday.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs Donald Trump Says He Would Love to See a United Ireland
Beginner Questions
What did Donald Trump say about a united Ireland
He said he would love to see a united Ireland He made the comment during a meeting with Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin at the White House in March 2025
What is a united Ireland
It means Northern Ireland leaving the United Kingdom and joining the Republic of Ireland to form one single country on the island of Ireland
Why is Ireland divided in the first place
In 1921 Britain split Ireland into two parts The south became the Irish Free State while six counties in the north stayed part of the UK Unionists in the north wanted to remain British
Who was Trump talking to when he said it
He was speaking at a press event with Micheál Martin the Irish Prime Minister during the traditional St Patricks Day visit to Washington
What does the Troubles mean
It refers to the violent conflict in Northern Ireland from the late 1960s to 1998 mainly between those who wanted a united Ireland and those who wanted to stay in the UK About 3600 people died
Intermediate Questions
Did Trump give any actual support to Irish unity
Not really He said he would love to see it but he didnt announce any policy change It was seen as a casual remark rather than a formal position
Why do some people want a united Ireland
Supporters say it would reunite the island give Northern Ireland a stronger economy and reflect the fact that a majority in Northern Ireland now identifies as neither strictly unionist nor nationalist Sinn Féin and other parties back the idea
Why do unionists oppose it
Unionists want Northern Ireland to stay in the UK They say a united Ireland would weaken their British identity hurt the economy and could lead to instability
What is the Good Friday Agreement
Its the 1998 peace deal that ended most of the violence It set up a powersharing government in Northern Ireland and says that a united Ireland can only happen if a majority in both Northern Ireland and the Republic vote for it
How would a united Ireland actually happen
Under the Good Friday Agreement the UK government would call a border poll if it
