Trump Calls for a ‘Unified Ireland,’ Provoking Anger From Kemi Badenoch and British Conservatives

President Trump is calling for a unified Ireland on a visit to the country, triggering sharp criticism from the leader of the Conservative party, Kemi Badenoch, and other British political leaders. Sitting next to the Irish Prime Minister, Micheál Martin, at Dublin on Saturday, Mr. Trump said the pair were “talking about” Irish unification and that Mr. Martin is the “right man” to get the issue “moving”.“I’d love to see a unified Ireland,” Mr. Trump said. “It’s going to happen eventually, it might as well happen now. I think the U.K. will have something to say about it. It would be a great thing. How could it be bad?”Quickly condemning the comments on X, Ms. Badenoch pointed out that her party’s true name is the Conservative and Unionist Party and vowed to “always defend the union” that binds the U.K. together.“President Trump is shooting from the hip as usual, just like he did with Greenland and Canada becoming the 51st state. This sort of loose talk about the future of democratic countries is deeply unhelpful and creates unnecessary tension. “Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom. At a time when separatists are in power in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, we need a Government that will defend the Union clearly and confidently.”Ms. Badenoch also rebuked Prime Minister Andy Burnham for failing to take a firm enough stand on the issue. Mr. Burrnham on Wednesday said, “I am not aware that there is majority public support for another referendum, and until that changes, there will not be one.” In her comments on Saturday, Ms. Badenoch said Mr. Burnham was “entertaining the idea of more independence referenda.”Mr. Burnham didn’t immediately comment on Mr Trump’s remarks. Nor did any other senior Labour politician, fueling suspicions that the party — in the vanguard of progressive opposition to colonialism — is open to a referendum. The leader of Reform, Nigel Farage, a friend and political ally of Mr. Trump, was quick to say Mr. Trump was wrong. ”Northern Ireland is a proud and integral part of the United Kingdom,” Mr. Farage wrote on X. “The people of Northern Ireland neither want a referendum, nor unification. I disagree with President Trump.”The leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, Gavin Robinson, whose party is the principal opposition to a united Ireland in the Northern Ireland Assembly and in Westminster, posted on X: “Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom because that is the settled democratic will of its people. As unionists we are not interested in the destruction of our country by joining with the Irish Republic.”Mr Martin, the Irish Taoiseach, is pushing hard for a referendum on reunification. Earlier this week he called for “greater clarity” on how such a vote would be held. Under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 that ended the violent conflict the UK Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has the power to decide to hold a poll. The agreement puts a duty on the secretary to call one if it appears likely a majority would vote for Irish unification.Mr. Martin said it’s “not satisfactory” that the decision to call a referendum is left as a “judgement call” for the secretary. He said there “needs to be discussion” about how a referendum would be triggered.Mr. Trump, who after talks with the leaders of Ireland on Saturday attended a tournament at one of his golf courses, appears to have changed his position on Irish unification. When Mr. Trump was asked about the issue in March, he responded “I love mergers.” Northern Ireland’s Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly at the time described his comments as “clearly a joke.”

Trump Calls for a ‘Unified Ireland,’ Provoking Anger From Kemi Badenoch and British Conservatives

Trump Calls for a ‘Unified Ireland,’ Provoking Anger From Kemi Badenoch and British Conservatives

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