US president Donald Trump used a press conference with Taoiseach Micheál Martin in the Oval Office to unleash a torrent of bitter complaints about Nato members, British prime minister Keir Starmer and Europe.
The Taoiseach stayed silent for much of the encounter as Trump fielded questions but then intervened repeatedly to defend Starmer and insist that Europe was “a good place to live”.
Martin’s pushback on some points did not provoke the US president and the two leaders warmly complimented each other throughout a day of engagements for St Patrick’s Day.
However, Trump clearly signalled that he expected Ireland to purchase significant quantities of liquefied natural gas from the US, which would close the trade deficit between the two countries.
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“I’m hopeful that we’ll soon reach a deal,” Trump said in his speech to another of the day’s events, the Speaker’s lunch on Capitol Hill, attended by senior congressional leaders. “And that’ll bring down your deficits a lot. So I think you have to make this deal with us”.
Later, Trump added: “So you got to buy a lot of our stuff.”
It is understood that US officials have been pushing the same line with the Irish Government of late.
[ Eight key moments from Martin-Trump meetingOpens in new window ]
The Taoiseach began the day with a breakfast at the residence of the US vice-president JD Vance, where the two men exchanged pleasantries before an audience of political and business leaders, including Stripe founder Patrick Collison.
“All of us in America – most of us, at least – have somebody who has this deep connection to that island on the other side of the Atlantic,” Vance said.
“We love it, and we admire it, and we cherish the incredible friendships that we have, and the great things that Ireland has done for the United States of America.”
While the warm words at the vice-president’s residence set the tone for a day of Irish-American events, Trump’s joint press conference was at times more threatening.
He complained bitterly about US allies not supporting him in Iran, questioning the future of the Nato alliance. He also complained extensively about British prime minister Keir Starmer, Europe and the BBC.
He issued an aggressive social media post shortly before the meeting complaining about Nato, but also declaring that “WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!”
In the Oval Office, he said that the US had prevented “nuclear holocaust” by bombing Iran.
“I said Iran was a big threat to this country, to this world of ours, and turned out I was right ...
“You can’t let them have a nuclear weapon. If they got a nuclear weapon, I would say they would have used it within 24 hours after having it.”
[ Taoiseach manages Trump visit successfully with firm interjects and no clashesOpens in new window ]
Turning to Martin, he said: “I think it would have hit Europe, maybe not Ireland, but it would have hit Europe.
“It is big enough, you would have been affected.”
Intervening to defend Starmer, Martin said he was “an earnest, sound person” and praised him for improving relations between Ireland and the UK.
In response to Trump’s criticisms of Europe, Martin said it was “a great place to live”. He said no one was in favour of “illegal migration” but denied Europe was “overrun” by immigrants.
“In Ireland, our population is growing but in a very positive way,” Martin said. “I think sometimes Europe gets characterised in terms of it being ‘overrun’.”
Asked about criticisms of the war by President Catherine Connolly, Trump seemed nonplussed, declaring that the President – who he referred to as “he” – was “lucky I exist, that’s all I can say”, suggesting that Trump was keeping the President safe from nuclear attack by Iran.
