Pelosi says united Ireland is an ‘exciting idea’, but the decision is up to Irish people

A united Ireland is an “exciting idea”, the former speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi has said.

Speaking yesterday at the residence of the US ambassador in Phoenix Park, Dublin, Ms Pelosi said it is a “question for Ireland”.

“As a schoolgirl in America, I would have thought that that was a great idea and why not do that? So I carry that with me,” she said.

“What would be important about that is how you arrive at it and I think it’s an exciting idea, but it’s up to the Irish to decide that.

“When you think of the Brits and their role in this and so much that has been overcome. As I said, when I was first coming here 30 years ago there were fisticuffs like ‘we’re going to go outside, not in the room, we’re going to go outside and settle this kind of thing’. And now there’s been so much progress.”

Ms Pelosi also said she was “very excited” to see the restoration of the Northern Ireland Executive.

On Sunday, the 84-year-old became the inaugural recipient of the Fulbright Ireland Public Service Award, and last night she received the Sutherland Leadership Award at University College Dublin.

The Sutherland Leadership Award was established in 2018 to recognise outstanding international leaders.

Ms Pelosi said “differences of opinion” between Ireland and the US on Gaza are “not central” to the Irish-US relationship, but said how those differences are addressed “strengthens” diplomatic ties. Ireland is viewed as one of the most pro-Palestine countries in Europe and Tánaiste Micheál Martin has lobbied US politicians to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Ms Pelosi said there was a “spectrum” of opinion on Gaza.

“We learn from each other in these relationships as well,” Ms Pelosi said.

She told journalists yesterday that Republican candidate Donald Trump, who will go head-to-head with incumbent president Joe Biden in November’s presidential elections, “can’t win”.

She said “civilisation” and “democracy” were at stake.

Ms Pelosi said Mr Trump had said he would end the war in Ukraine at the click of a finger, but that this would be “in Putin’s favour, probably”.

“That’s not who America is, you know, we have to, to demonstrate clearly to the world, that America, that we are joined together,” she said.

She also said violent behaviour and rhetoric against politicians is becoming “normalised” and attacks against people in public life have become more common and are “detrimental to a democracy”.

While referring to Mr Trump without naming him, Ms Pelosi said there is a need to “tone down the rhetoric”.

“A president who would say, if you beat up the reporters, ‘I’ll pay for your lawyers’. What’s that? That’s not right, and it certainly has no place in a democracy,” she added.