RismadarVoice Reporters
September 13, 2026
Irish and Northern Irish leaders have reacted sharply to US President Donald Trump’s comments that he would “love to see” Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland reunified.
Trump made the remarks on Saturday during a visit to Dublin, where he met Irish President Catherine Connolly and Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
Speaking at a joint news conference with Martin, Trump described Irish reunification as a potentially “fantastic” development and suggested it would eventually happen.
“I think it would be a great feather in everybody’s cap if that happened,” Trump said, adding that it “may as well happen now.”
His comments drew opposition from unionist leaders in Northern Ireland, who stressed that the territory’s constitutional future must be decided by its people.
Democratic Unionist Party leader Gavin Robinson said Northern Ireland’s status should not be determined by political commentary from London, Dublin or Washington.
Ulster Unionist Party leader Jim Allister similarly argued that Northern Ireland’s constitutional future was not a matter for foreign leaders to decide.
Under the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom unless a majority of its people vote in a referendum to support reunification.
The agreement ended decades of sectarian conflict known as the Troubles and established the framework for deciding Northern Ireland’s constitutional status.
The UK government also maintained that its position remained unchanged, with Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s spokesperson saying he would continue to uphold the Good Friday Agreement.
Trump’s comments came as protesters took to the streets of Dublin during his two-day visit to Ireland.
The US president later acknowledged the controversy surrounding his remarks at an event at the US ambassador’s residence but stood by his position.
