Just give me a call
»»us president vows to help us out with anything...except trade »»He ‘loves’ irish people and is planning visit in next two years
IRELAND has a friend in a very high place after Donald Trump promised to help us out anytime he can.
The US President said all the Taoiseach has to do is “call me” – unless it’s to do with trade as our corporate tax rates are too competitively low for him.
Leo Varadkar chatted with the world’s most powerful man during a 40-minute meeting in the Oval Office yesterday.
President Trump raised the issue of the undocumented Irish and the Taoiseach said he was “enthusiastic” the US would be able to help the thousands of Irish whose legal status in the US is uncertain.
They also covered the border issue with Brexit looming and Mr Varadkar said Mr Trump understood our concerns.
President Trump said he would “love to” visit Ireland ahead of the next presidential election in just over two years’ time and would even teach Mr Varadkar how to play golf when here. He is also open to visiting the border, describing it as “interesting”, saying that Ireland and the US have two borders of interest – the American one being the border with Mexico. The Taoiseach told how he has family in the US that came as immigrants through Mr Trump’s hometown of New York. He added he is looking forward to walking in the St Patrick’s Day parade. Later at the Speaker’s lunch on Capitol Hill, President Trump again lavished us with praise.
During his speech, he said Ireland could contact him if we needed help adding: “Whenever you guys have a problem, just give me a call, except on trade, you’ve got those taxes so low, tough to compete with.” Mr Trump praised the “tremendous” Irish people he knows and he said he “loves” us.
The traditional reception in the White
House in the evening saw Mr Trump accept a Waterford Crystal bowl of shamrock from Mr Varadkar, with the great and the good from the Irishamerican community in attendance.
Protocol means the shamrock is destroyed immediately after the ceremony, but the President gets to keep the bowl as a souvenir. During the discussions Mr Trump raised the issue of the Irish “undocumented” – those currently living in the US without legal permission to remain.
Mr Varadkar said: “It was something that was very much on his mind. We have a measure of support and degree of enthusiasm from the administration to work on a solution for thousands of Irish people who are here undocumented but who are hard-working, tax-paying people who are very loyal to America.”
The Taoiseach added: “The President was very aware of the issues that could affect Northern Ireland if there is a return to a hard border and I think will be very much on our side in working for a solution to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
And trade was also discussed with Mr Varadkar revealing: “The President has enormous concerns that the
United States isn’t being treated fairly when it comes to trade by China and by Europe. I put across the view that maybe the best way to resolve that is for a new deal – a new trade deal between America and Europe – and the President seemed very open to that.”
The Taoiseach was asked about Mike Pence’s decision not to allow the media to attend their scheduled meeting at his residence on Friday morning. And he has pledged to raise issues around the US Vice President’s controversial stance on LGBT rights.
Mr Varadkar said he would have preferred if the cameras were allowed in to document their comments, but he added: “It allows us maybe to have a frank conversation that’s easier to have without the media present.”
He would be very much on our side to make sure a hard border doesn’t happen leo VARADKAR WASHINGTON YESTERDAY