PA Media/dpa
Washington
Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin arrived at the West Wing of the White House on Wednesday for a bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump.
Trump greeted Martin outside and the pair shook hands, ahead of their sit-down engagement in the Oval Office which is likely to focus on Ireland’s trading relationship with the United States. The Irish premier has said he intends to highlight a “two-way street” of investment between the nations in a bid to address concerns the president may voice around a US-Ireland trade imbalance.
The meeting comes amid heightened concern that Trump’s protectionist approach to tariffs and tax could pose a significant risk to an Irish economy that is in large part sustained by long-standing investment by US multinationals. Trump will later be presented with a bowl of shamrock as the centrepiece of the Irish government’s major overseas diplomatic push in the run-up to St Patrick’s Day on March 17.
Earlier, Martin hailed the president’s focus and “progress” on brokering peace since he returned to the Oval Office.
He made the remarks while attending a breakfast meeting at the US vice-president’s official residence as part of a day of engagements in Washington.
Martin and his wife Mary were greeted by Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha at the US Naval Observatory.
Vance hailed the US relationship with Ireland as “one of the great alliances” between nations. “One of the things we try to do with this breakfast is just remind people of the important bonds of friendship between the United States and Ireland,” he said.
Martin praised efforts by the new US administration to place a focus on peace, referring to the conflict in the Middle East and war in Ukraine.
Martin said peace on the island of Ireland is “a signature achievement” of US foreign policy, and that Ireland is ready to “play our part” in ending other conflicts.
“Nowhere is the strength of the US-Irish relationship more in evidence than in our own peace process,” Martin said.
“Forty-four years ago, president Reagan called for a just and peaceful solution to the conflict that has for so long devastated lives on our island,” he said. “Politicians from both sides of the aisle rose to the occasion, and the lasting peace we enjoy today on our island is a signature achievement of US foreign policy,” he said.
“This story of peace is one that we both wrote together. We know that building peace is a difficult and painstaking task, and we are ready to play our part in supporting work to end conflict and to secure peace in Ukraine or in the Middle East or wherever,” Martin added.
Martin also invited Vance and his wife to Ireland - having previously undertaken a road trip around Ireland in 2023 - and extended a particular invite to his native County Cork.
Referring to his visit to Ireland, Vance praised its “incredible” communities, “beautiful” landscapes and “interesting technological growth.”
