Respect Trump, says Irish PM

– The Irish government must treat the US president’s office with the respect it deserves when Donald Trump visits in November, despite disagreeing with many of his policies, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said ahead of planned protests.

Trump will travel to Ireland for the first time as president during a trip to Europe to attend a November 11 commemoration in Paris of the 100th anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I, the White House said.

The president’s decision to take up an open invitation to Ireland in November “came a little bit out of the blue”, said Varadkar, who was against extending an invitation to Trump, before changing his mind when he became prime minister.

A number of smaller opposition parties have begun organising protests to coincide with the visit. – Reuters

Dublin