Trump says Ireland cheats the US as its leader joins him to celebrate St. Patrick's Day

President Donald Trump welcomed Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin connected Wednesday for the yearly St. Patrick's Day solemnisation astatine the White House, wherever helium added Ireland to the database of countries helium says are taking vantage of the United States.

Martin countered by noting Ireland's contributions to the U.S.

It was Trump's archetypal Oval Office gathering with a overseas person since his caller sit-down with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which morphed into a shouting lucifer arsenic they jousted implicit ending Russia's penetration of Ukraine. The league ended with Zelenskyy being asked to permission the White House.

Martin, who offered lone gentle pushback to immoderate of Trump's comments, is acceptable to instrumentality to the White House successful the evening to contiguous Trump with a vessel of shamrocks astatine an aboriginal St. Patrick's Day celebration. The duo besides attended an yearly luncheon astatine the Capitol.

The president's banter during the Oval Office gathering besides touched connected Vice President JD Vance's shamrock-themed socks and Trump nemesis Rosie O’Donnell 's caller determination to Ireland.

The Republican president has been sparring with U.S. allies and adversaries alike implicit trade, slapping double-digit tariffs connected imports from countries from Canada to China and successful between. During the quality with Martin, Trump repeated his assertion that the European Union was created conscionable to instrumentality it to the U.S.

Asked if Ireland, a subordinate of the EU, was taking advantage, too, Trump said, “of people they are. I person large respect for Ireland and what they did and they should person done conscionable what they did, but the United States shouldn’t person fto it happen.” He was referring to the attraction of U.S. pharmaceutical companies successful Ireland, owed to the country's taxation policies.

“We had anserine leaders. We had leaders that didn’t person a hint oregon let’s accidental they weren’t businesspeople, but they didn’t person a hint what was happening and each of a abrupt Ireland has our pharmaceutical companies," Trump said.

Martin countered that the commercialized narration is “a two-way street,” adding that Ireland's 2 largest airlines bargain much aircrafts from Boeing Co. than anyone other extracurricular of America.

More than 700 Irish companies are besides based successful America, creating thousands of jobs, Martin said. “That's a small known information that doesn't crook up successful the statistics,” helium added.

“I recognize wherever you're coming from, fully,” Martin told Trump, “but I deliberation it's a narration that we tin make and that volition endure into the future.”

At 1 point, Trump became distracted arsenic helium talked astir ostentation successful the U.S.

“By the way, I emotion these socks. What’s with these socks? I’m trying to enactment focused, but I’m precise impressed with the VP’s socks,” Trump said, drafting chuckles from others successful the room.

Vance had worn socks patterned with tiny greenish shamrocks arsenic a motion to Martin's visit.

When a newsman asked Martin wherefore his state would fto O'Donnell determination there, Trump jumped astatine the opening.

“I similar that question,” the president said, adding that Martin was ”better disconnected not knowing” astir O'Donnell.

O'Donnell, a comedian and erstwhile talk-show host, and Trump person feuded for years. O’Donnell, who is gay, precocious announced that she moved to Ireland successful January, citing a deficiency of adjacent rights successful America.

Trump recovered a mode to sneak his penchant for nonrecreational warring into the discourse.

As the gathering wrapped, Trump was asked to sanction his favourite idiosyncratic successful Ireland. Trump referred to Irish mixed martial arts combatant Conor McGregor, partially due to the fact that "he's got the champion tattoos I’ve ever seen.”

Trump is good known for his enactment of Ultimate Fighting Championship and attended bouts during the 2024 statesmanlike campaign.

He noted that Martin’s begetter was an acclaimed boxer, but motioned to Martin saying, “You’re truthful smooth,” suggesting helium did not look similar a boxer.

“I’m a beauteous bully antiaircraft boxer,” Martin joked successful reply.

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Associated Press writer Tom Beaumont successful Des Moines, Iowa, contributed to this report.