Donald Trump reiterated his support for Irish unification on Sunday while speaking from Doonebeg Golf Club in county Clare, where he is staying during a two-day visit to Ireland and where the Irish Open is being hosted. He said many people agree with him and brushed aside objections to a future referendum.
Donald Trump in county Clare
Trump said: "It seems to me that one of the naturals of all time is to put them together" when referring to Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. He also said: "Everybody says that. Then things happen."
On Saturday, he had said he would love to see a united Ireland and that it may as well happen now. On Sunday, he added: "I made what I considered to be a fairly routine comment, I have had so much support on that."
Good Friday peace agreement
The Good Friday peace agreement set out the framework for a possible referendum on unification in 1998. Downing Street said Andy Burnham still believed there was not the required support to trigger one, while two weeks ago he said a referendum was off the table.
Angela Rayner said Trump would say and speak his mind as he sees it and said the government would continue on its path with the Good Friday agreement. Micheál Martin said there had been overreaction to the comments, saying Trump takes a different sort of perspective on things and urging a calm perspective.
Plaid Cymru and Sinn Féin
Irish nationalists welcomed the remarks. Gerry Adams said they reflect "the broad North American sentiment towards Irish unity and particularly the Irish diaspora towards Irish reunification," while accusing successive Irish governments of failing to plan for unification.
Ian Paisley Jr said: "Everyone is allowed a personal opinion even when it’s wrong," adding that "the political, cultural and economic reality is that Northern Ireland and its people are British and wish to remain so."
Leaders of Plaid Cymru, the Scottish National party and Sinn Féin are meeting in Cardiff on Monday to discuss constitutional change, keeping the issue on the agenda after Trump's comments in county Clare.
