Leo: Trump visit ‘not my worst nightmare’
Invitation to US president stands, says Taoiseach
LEO Varadkar has said that a visit from Donald Trump ‘would not be my worst nightmare’ adding that the invitation to the US president to visit Ireland still stands.
However, the Taoiseach was quick to distance himself from any tacit support for the Trump administration, stating that US-Ireland relations are ‘much stronger than any particular administration or president of the United States’.
He also said he would be raising the issues of climate change and the death penalty with Mr Trump when he visits the White House next March – matters on which both parties would disagree.
Mr Varadkar said the deep bonds between Ireland and America: ‘It is economic, cultural, it is about family connections.
‘My overriding objective is to put Ireland’s interests first and that is to maintain that really strong relationship that we have between Ireland and the States.
‘That doesn’t mean that we won’t disagree and disagree publicly with the US administration on some issues.
‘Climate change is one of those, the death penalty too, we have a constitutional ban on that in Ireland and there are issues of human rights. When I travel to DC in March I certainly intend to bring up those issues.’
On the issue of the invitation to Mr Trump, he said: ‘His invitation still stands, absolutely, but no plans or preparations are being made for that.’
When asked about how he would feel if Mr Trump visited, he said: ‘It would not be my worst nightmare. I can guarantee you there are much more serious things that could befall Ireland than the visit of any individual.’
Mr Varadkar last week flew to the US for a three-day trade mission in Seattle and San Francisco.
While he was over there, it was announced that Mr Trump was proceeding with plans to cut the US corporation tax rate from 35% to 20%.
The Taoiseach said he was not concerned about the move, and said he did not believe it would have any impact on Ireland because a different future president and US administration could change the rates again.
This, he said, stood in comparison to Ireland’s 12.5% rate which has remained unchanged and will continue to remain unchanged.
President Trump was first invited to visit Ireland by former taoiseach Enda Kenny in March this year. Mr Kenny extended the invitation when he visited the US leader in the White House, despite having previously described language used by Mr Trump as ‘racist and dangerous’.
Mr Kenny explained the reasoning behind his decision to invite the controversial leader to Ireland by saying: ‘Invitations are always returned, and returned in kind.’
Mr Trump responded by calling the then taoiseach his ‘new friend’ and a ‘great guy’ and saying: ‘The people of Ireland and the people of the United States have stuck together through good times and bad times. Over many centuries we have built a bond that thrives, inspires and endures. And with us, it’s going to be closer than ever before, I can tell you that.’
There was speculation that the US president would visit Ireland during July, as he was in Europe to attend the G7 and G20 summits, but the trip, which was thought would include a stop at Mr Trump’s golf course in Doonbeg, Co. Clare, never materialised.
A visit by the US leader would prove controversial, and could fuel a backlash against the Taoiseach as many Irish people do not support the plans for the visit.
Back in January, almost two thirds, or 64% of women surveyed in and Irish Daily Mail/Ireland Thinks poll said they did not want the Government to invite Mr Trump here, with an equal proportion of men saying they favour inviting him
Almost 40,000 people signed a ‘Not in my name’ petition against Enda Kenny visiting Donald Trump for the traditional shamrock presentation last St Patrick’s Day, and a ‘Keep Donald Trump out of Ireland’ online petition, started in the wake of the President’s travel ban against visitors to the US from mainly Muslim countries, currently has another 1,392 signatures.
Visit could fuel a backlash