Trump throws support behind united Ireland

US President Donald Trump has thrown his support behind the idea of a united Ireland, saying he would “love” to see Northern Ireland reunified with the Republic of Ireland.

Speaking alongside Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin in Dublin on Saturday (September 12), Trump said Irish unification would eventually happen and suggested it “may as well happen now.”

“I’d love to see it unified,” Trump told reporters, describing unification as “a great thing” and “fantastic.”

The remarks quickly triggered a backlash from the UK government and Northern Ireland’s unionist leaders, who stressed that the territory’s constitutional future must be decided by its people.

A Downing Street spokesperson said Prime Minister Keir Starmer believes there is currently insufficient support for a referendum on Irish unification under the Good Friday Agreement.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson rejected Trump’s intervention, saying Northern Ireland remains part of the UK because that reflects the “settled democratic will” of its people.

Trump’s comments marked a departure from the traditional US approach of avoiding public intervention on the island’s constitutional future, although there was no immediate indication of any change in Washington’s policy.