By Raúl Bobé
London (EFE).- United States President Donald Trump left Ireland on Sunday, reiterating that the reunification of the island is natural, after his two-day visit to the country.
After saying on Saturday that he would like to see the island of Ireland «together» and that reunification will happen sooner or later, Trump doubled down on his comments Sunday when asked by the media at the Irish Open golf tournament in Doonbeg, western Ireland.
«I’ve always loved the people of Ireland. It just seems to me you have Northern Ireland and Ireland,» he said
«It seems that one of the naturals of all time is to put them together. That’s only my opinion, and by the way many people agree,» the US head of state said.
Trump’s remarks on Irish reunification caused a stir in the United Kingdom, especially among opposition parties; however, Irish Taoiseach (prime minister) Micheál Martin chose to downplay Trump’s words.
«He would make the point that this is his view; he believes unity is the logical way for the island to be configured and organized,» the Irish head of government told the media in Doonbeg.
Since 1921, the island known as the “Emerald Isle” has been divided into two parts: the Republic of Ireland and the British province of Northern Ireland, a division followed by decades of unrest between nationalists and unionists.
The status of Northern Ireland, whether it should remain part of the UK or reunite with the rest of the island, was at the heart of the bloody conflict known as «the Troubles,» which lasted from the late 1960s until the signing of the «Good Friday Agreement» between the governments in Dublin and London in 1998.
However, Trump has avoided commenting on the possibility of Scottish independence. «I won’t talk about Scotland yet I will save that,» he said.
Golf, whiskey, and artificial intelligence
Before boarding “Air Force One” at Shannon Airport in western Ireland to return to the US, Trump attended the final round of the Irish Open, held at one of its courses, and presented the trophy to the tournament champion, Shane Lowry.
Facing the crowd gathered at the 18th hole, Trump announced that he would eliminate tariffs on Irish whiskey, an announcement met with cheers and applause.
Trump also took advantage of a brief encounter with the press to answer questions about the war in Ukraine, the conflict in the Middle East, oil exploration in the North Sea, and artificial intelligence.
Trump’s two-day visit to Ireland prompted one of the largest security operations in the country’s history. Over 4,000 Irish police officers were deployed on land, at sea, and in the air. Traffic was closed off, and thorough checkpoints were set up.
Massive, peaceful anti-war protests were held throughout the weekend in Dublin, Shannon, and around the Doonbeg golf resort against the US president’s presence in Ireland.EFE
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