Trump’s comments broke with a long-standing U.S. position of neutrality on perhaps the most sensitive issue in U.K. politics.
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DUBLIN — President Donald Trump said on Saturday he would “love to see” Irish reunification, weighing in on one of the most politically sensitive issues facing Ireland and the United Kingdom.
Trump made the remarks during a meeting on Saturday with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin while on his way to watch the Irish Open golf tournament at his resort, Trump International Golf Links.
“Well I don’t want to cause any problems, but I will tell you, I’d love to see it unified,” Trump told reporters when asked for his view on the matter. “I think it would be great, a great feather in everybody’s cap if that happens. It’s going to happen eventually.”
“It might as well happen now,” he added, saying that Martin was the “right” man “to get it moving.” “How could it be bad?”
Trump’s comments broke with a long-standing position of neutrality or nonintervention by the United States on the issue. Washington maintained that stance while mediating the Good Friday Agreement, the 1998 accord that the Clinton administration helped broker and that effectively ended three decades of violent strife in Northern Ireland, widely known as “the Troubles.”
George Mitchell, a former Democratic senator from Maine, oversaw the talks as President Bill Clinton’s envoy.
Under the accord, Northern Ireland can at any time join the Republic of Ireland if a majority of people on both sides vote for unification. But the question of keeping the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland unified remains an electric issue for London. Britain is widely considered the closest ally of the United States.
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The architects of the Good Friday Agreement, John Hume and David Trimble, were awarded the 1998 Nobel Peace Prize, which Trump during his second term has aggressively but unsuccessfully sought to win.
U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s office referred The Washington Post to his commitment on Wednesday to “stick to” the Good Friday agreement.
Burnham said he was not aware of a change in public opinion that would warrant a referendum “and until that changes, there will not be one.”
During a speech at the Irish ambassador’s residence shortly after the news conference, Trump acknowledged how controversial his comments would be.
“It’s one of those questions where no matter what you say, there’s no good answer,” he said, adding that unification would “be a cool thing.”
The delicate issue of Ireland and Northern Ireland was a major factor in Brexit, the U.K.’s decision to quit the European Union, with the Republic of Ireland remaining in the bloc. Special arrangements had to be made to ensure that no provisions in the U.K.’s agreements to leave the E.U. violated the Good Friday agreement.
Trump departed the residence and is now on his way to the golf club in Doonbeg, where he is expected to watch the tournament.
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Victoria Craw in London contributed to this report.
