Trump and Varadkar look forward to meeting

DONALD Trump and Irish premier Leo Varadkar say they are both looking forward to meeting in person next March in Washington.

In their first telephone call since Mr Varadkar was appointed Taoiseach earlier this month, the pair did not discuss a visit to Ireland by the US president.

However, they did discuss the Northern Ireland peace process.

Mr Varadkar’s predecessor Enda Kenny invited Mr Trump (right) to Ireland last March. The planned trip, scheduled to take place during his presidency, sparked much criticism from Opposition parties in Dublin.

Golf fan Mr Trump has also hinted at a possible visit during the Open at Portrush in 2019. Mr Trump did however extend to the Taoiseach the traditional invite to the White House for the annual St Patrick’s Day celebrations.

Both leaders “looked forward to meeting in person then”, they said in the conversation, according to a spokesman for Mr Varadkar.

The pair also discussed migration, Brexit and the movement of goods and citizens across the border, climate change, free trade, Irish inward investment in the US and the undocumented Irish, or illegal Irish immigrants, in the US.