UK politicians including Kemi Badenoch tear into Trump over support for united Ireland - as even Farage says president is wrong
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By DAVID WILCOCK, DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR and ELIZABETH HAIGH, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER and SABRINA PENTY, FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER
Published: | Updated:
British politicians have torn into Donald Trump after he said he would 'love to see' a united Ireland.
Kemi Badenoch led condemnation of remarks made by the president in a meeting with Micheál Martin in Dublin, during a two-day politics and golf visit to the republic.
Flanking the Taoiseach Trump, 80, said reunification of Ireland and Northern Ireland will 'happen eventually' and would be a 'great thing'.
It is the latest gaffe by a US leader under whom the special relationship with the UK has reached its lowest ever ebb.
Northern Irish politicians and those on the Right of UK politics lined up to criticise him last night.
Conservative leader Mrs Badenoch accused him of 'shooting from the hip as usual', adding: 'This sort of loose talk about the future of democratic countries is deeply unhelpful and creates unnecessary tension.'
And even Nigel Farage distanced himself from his close ally, saying: 'Northern Ireland is a proud and integral part of the United Kingdom. The people of Northern Ireland neither want a referendum, nor unification. I disagree with President Trump.'
And it emboldened supporters of reunification. Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) leader Claire Hanna said: 'In the last hour Donald Trump has announced that he is in favour of a united Ireland. It turns out that he isn't as orange as he looks.'
US President Donald Trump said he would 'love to see a unified Ireland' during a meeting with Taoiseach Micheál Martin in Dublin on Saturday
President Donald Trump is greeted by Irish President Catherine Connolly at Áras an Uachtaráin in Dublin's Phoenix Park
President Donald Trump meets with Ireland's Taoiseach Micheál Martin and his wife Mary O'Shea at Farmleigh House in Dublin on Saturday
The President spoke while sitting alongside the Taoiseach at the Farmleigh Estate. Asked about uniting the island, Mr Trump said: 'I don't want to cause any trouble, but I'll tell you I would love to see a unified Ireland.'
He continued: 'I think it would be a great feather in everybody's cap if that happened. It's going to happen eventually.
'You know how I see it, it's going to happen eventually; it may as well happen now... 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.'
Mr Trump also warned today that any conflict over the Falkland Islands between the UK and Argentina would be a 'disaster', but said that he would be able to 'settle it.'
The President's comments about a united Ireland were met with criticism from unionist leaders in Northern Ireland.
The Taoiseach and Mr Trump shake hands as they meet each other at Farmleigh House, Dublin this morning
President Trump waves at Dublin Airport before stepping into a waiting motorcade
Democratic Unionist Party leader Gavin Robinson posted on X: '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.
'I am confident NI 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.'
Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister said Mr Trump 'is not the first US president to meddle in the affairs which don't concern him'.
He added: 'Northern Ireland is not a pawn in Trump's fall-out with the UK. Our constitutional future does not depend on him or any other foreign dignitary.'
Former SDLP leader and MP for Foyle Colum Eastwood, an open critic of the US president, shared a clip of Mr Trump's remarks on social media, adding: 'Always liked him.'
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