Donald Trump backs unified Ireland during Dublin visit with Micheál Martin

Press conference in Dublin

United States President Donald Trump met Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin in Dublin on Saturday, 12 September 2026. The bilateral meeting took place at the start of a two-day visit to Ireland focused primarily on golf, accompanied by a brief diplomatic interlude. During a joint press conference with Martin, a reporter questioned the 80-year-old president about his perspective on a possible unification between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, which remains part of the United Kingdom. Trump endorsed the concept of a united island, telling journalists that he would love to see it occur.

I think it would be fantastic - how could that be bad?

Trump added that the political integration of the two territories seemed inevitable from his perspective. When pressed on the sensitive constitutional question affecting Dublin and London, the president stated that unification will eventually happen.

Shift from diplomatic neutrality

Following his discussions with the Irish prime minister, Trump addressed attendees during a gathering at the United States Embassy in Dublin. The president reflected on the attention generated by his statements during the earlier press briefing. He laughed while discussing the complexity of Irish constitutional politics with guests and embassy staff.

It is one of those questions where, whatever you say, there is no right answer.

The remarks differ from the established diplomatic stance of Washington, which traditionally avoided taking sides on Northern Ireland. Previous United States administrations maintained strict neutrality, holding that any decision regarding sovereignty belongs exclusively to the residents of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The statements also follow recent comments from Trump regarding British overseas interests, including remarks in which he stated he was open to any outcome regarding the Falkland Islands, an Atlantic archipelago administered by the United Kingdom and claimed by Argentina.

London policy and the 1998 peace accords

The British government in London maintains its formal commitment to the peace agreements signed in 1998, which brought an end to decades of violent conflict in Northern Ireland. Under this legal framework, a referendum on separating Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and merging with the Republic of Ireland cannot be called arbitrarily. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham recently stated that a border referendum requires a clear consensus in the country, occurring only when public opinion shifts to a degree that requires such a decision to be formally evaluated. Burnham indicated that organizing such a vote is not on the agenda.

Public opinion in Ireland and Northern Ireland

Public opinion on constitutional integration continues to diverge across the island. Polling data shows that voters in the Republic of Ireland generally support unification with the north by a clear margin. In contrast, sentiment within Northern Ireland does not reflect a pro-unification majority. According to a May 2026 survey conducted by the Institute of Irish Studies at the University of Liverpool, 35% of people in Northern Ireland favored unification with the Republic of Ireland.