US president Donald Trump raised the issue of a United Ireland at his meeting with President Catherine Connolly at Áras an Uachtaráin unprompted – asking her how ‘the merger’ was going within minutes of their behind-the-scenes chat starting, the Mail can reveal.
The fact that the US president initiated the conversation throws fresh light on his later comments, when he told a joint press conference with Taoiseach Micheál Martin at Farmleigh in Dublin’s Phoenix Park that he would ‘love’ it if the North and the Republic were to reunite.
According to senior Government sources familiar with events at the meeting, the Irish President didn’t substantially engage in a discussion on reunification, focusing her efforts on raising the actions of the Israeli Defence Forces in the Gaza Strip.
A source told the MoS that President Trump ‘personally, proactively and without prompt’ from anyone in the room raised the matter of a United Ireland, which he then later addressed in a press conference when asked directly about his views on Irish unity.
US president Donald Trump raised the issue of a United Ireland at his meeting with President Catherine Connolly at Áras an Uachtaráin unprompted – asking her how ‘the merger’ was going within minutes of their behind-the-scenes chat starting
Irish Government and US administration sources claimed last night that they believe Mr Trump’s statements were aimed at causing ‘maximum damage’ for Britain – which he has repeatedly criticised for failing to offer sufficient military or diplomatic support for his assaults on Iran.
‘We could see up close that his was a well-planned diplomatic assault designed to cause maximum damage to the British government,’ said a senior Irish Government source.
‘He dropped an absolute bombshell and it was not done without forethought and discussion within his administration.’
A US administration source confirmed that Mr Trump’s statements were preplanned.
‘He has made no secret at his disappointment – hurt really – at the UK’s lukewarm support on Iran and on other foreign affairs matters,’ said the US government source, ‘and if this causes the UK difficulty, which the reaction shows it has, then maybe that’s not unintentional.’
The US president’s whistle-stop tour of Ireland started at 8.23am yesterday morning when Air Force One touched down at Dublin Airport amid one of the largest security operations the country has ever mounted.
Mr Trump, who is in Ireland principally to attend the Irish Open, being hosted at his golf resort in Doonbeg, Co. Clare, first met with President Catherine Connolly and the Taoiseach for a quick-fire round of diplomatic engagements.
He also gave a speech to lawmakers and business leaders at the US ambassador’s residence in the Phoenix Park before flying to Doonbeg.
But it was his comments on a United Ireland that made global headlines.
Responding to a press question about his personal views on Irish unity in Farmleigh during a meeting with Mr Martin, Mr Trump said he did not ‘want to cause any problems’ but he would ‘love to see it unified’.
Trump ‘has made no secret at his disappointment – hurt really – at the UK’s lukewarm support on Iran and on other foreign affairs matters,’ said a senior US government source
He said: ‘I have friends on both sides, great people. 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. It’s going to happen eventually.
‘You know what? The way I look at it, it’s going to happen eventually. It may as well happen now.’
Referring to the Taoiseach sitting next to him, Mr Trump added: ‘We’re talking about it and you got the right man over here to get it moving. But, yeah, I think it would be a fantastic thing.
‘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?’
Earlier, President Trump himself had brought up a United Ireland unprompted when asked how his meeting with the Irish President had gone.
‘We did discuss Northern Ireland. I always find it to be a very interesting discussion. People of Northern Ireland and people of Ireland. They sometimes say “hey,
when are you guys getting together?” I do ask that question every time.’
Mr Martin responded: ‘You do, you’re consistent on that.’
The US president added: ‘I’m sure it’s complicated. But life is complicated.’
The remarks were swiftly responded to by all sides in the North, including the hardline unionist DUP, and by a Downing Street spokesman.
Mr Trump later discussed his comments at length at the start of his speech at Deerfield, the US ambassador’s residence.
He addressed his comments to a room that included Mr Martin, his wife Mary, Irish Ambassador to the US Geraldine Nason-Byrne, financial tycoon Dermot Desmond and fellow billionaire Denis O’Brien.
Referring to the question that had been asked earlier in Farmleigh, the US president said: ‘But 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, right?
‘But I actually said it would be, I think, a very cool thing. To be honest with you, I think it would be cool. As half the room clears out, they say: “Let’s get the hell out of here. I don’t like this guy. I liked him a lot 10 minutes ago. I don’t like him”.’
President Connolly with Trump outside the Áras
Crucially the Government did not interpret these later remarks as an effort to row back.
Indeed, those closest to the stage felt that President Trump was ‘gleefully’ revelling in the knowledge that he had just thrown a ‘hand grenade’ in Irish public affairs.
The MoS was standing just feet from President Trump during the speech, and it was clear that he was enjoying his unrivalled ability to grab headlines.
The subject of a United Ireland has moved up the political agenda this year, with Fine Gael moving to publish a green paper on Irish unity later this year.
And the new UK prime minister Andy Burnham sparked a political row last month when he said a unity referendum was ‘off the table’.
Mr Martin has edged closer to calling for a border poll recently, telling reporters at the party’s think-in this week that it was his view that it was ‘not satisfactory’ that a decision to call a referendum was left as a ‘judgement call’ for the Northern Ireland secretary.
He said that there ‘needs to be a discussion’ about how a referendum would be triggered.
However, Mr Martin himself dodged reporters’ questions on Mr Trump’s remarks as he left Farmleigh to travel to the US ambassador’s residence.
Later, a spokesman for the Taoiseach said President Trump’s comments on a United Ireland ‘should come as a surprise to no one’.
‘Over the years the president has been consistent in his view that he sees unity in Ireland as the optimal outcome.’
The spokesman said that, over the past two years in the White House, the president expressed this to the Taoiseach, and on Capitol Hill this year.
‘The Taoiseach told the President that he leads a party that supports Irish unity.
‘He also outlined the work of the Shared Island initiative and the importance of creating stronger communities and shared experiences on the island.’
‘The Taoiseach highlighted Ireland’s significant experience in conflict resolution as a result of the peace process, and that this experience could be brought to bear in the Middle East or other conflict areas.’
He said President Trump was very aware of how violent the conflict in Northern Ireland was, and of the importance of peace.
‘The Taoiseach paid tribute to successive US governments for their role in the peace process and in helping bring about the Good Friday Agreement.’
Tánaiste Simon Harris said the comments showed ‘how much the conversation about a unified island is advancing at home and abroad’, adding: ‘As you know, I made it clear that Fine Gael would produce a blueprint for a unified island.
‘That work is progressing well and we will produce our output and next steps at our Ard Fheis.’
A spokesman for No. 10 referred to comments by prime minister Burnham in the House of Commons last week where he said he would ‘stick to it [the Good Friday Agreement] 100 per cent’.
On Wednesday Mr Burnham had said that the question of a border poll was for the Northern Ireland secretary, ‘when there is a clear consensus in the country – when public opinion has changed to the point at which the call has to be considered’.
The leader of Sinn Féin, Mary Lou McDonald would only ‘acknowledge’ the comments from Mr Trump.
She said: ‘I acknowledge President Trump’s comments on the reunification of Ireland.
‘The conversation on Irish unity has shifted, and the onus is on the Taoiseach to begin planning.
‘We have secured peace, and as we approach the thirtieth anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, our national journey is now reunification, which is organised, planned and a peaceful transition.’
The party was involved in some of the protests against the US president’s visit to Ireland over the weekend.
The US president’s comments also prompted a quick response from the DUP, with party leader Gavin Robinson tweeting: ‘President 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.’
‘Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom because that is the settled democratic will of its people,’ he added.
And Gregory Campbell, a DUP MP from Derry, said he didn’t know what was behind the comments by President Trump, speculating they may have been related to Catherine Connolly, who has been a strong critic of Mr Trump and US foreign policy.
He added: ‘I mean, if this wasn’t for real, this would make a Father Ted episode.
Colum Eastwood, the former leader of the SDLP and an MP for the party, tweeted ‘always liked him’ in response to Mr Trump’s comments about Irish unity.
