Trump and the Irish leader will meet despite disagreements over trade and the Gaza War

On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump will meet with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin. Possible subjects of discussion include Trump’s trade policy and the Gaza conflict.

For both the US and Ireland, the yearly White House gathering to commemorate St. Patrick’s Day is typically a rather simple occasion.

During this visit, the custom of the Irish premier giving the president a bowl of shamrocks as a symbolic gift will be followed. Trump recently met with Joe Biden, his proudly Irish American Democratic predecessor.

However, Tuesday’s meetings coincide with Trump threatening or enacting a number of other tariffs, which have already started to rock the world economy. Although Ireland, a country of 5.4 million people, maintains a trade surplus with the United States and employs a sizable number of Irish workers for U.S.-owned foreign multinational corporations, none of the measures have been specifically targeted at the country.

Trump has promised extensive efforts to restore jobs to the United States and has frequently attacked nations with which the US has a trade deficit. Additionally, he has threatened to impose taxes on pharmaceutical products, which are a significant business in Ireland.

“I am very, very conscious that in a very challenging world, thousands and thousands of jobs depend on the economic relationship between the United States and Ireland,” Martin stated earlier in the month.

Ireland and the United States have different foreign policy positions regarding the Gaza crisis.

Since entering office in January, Trump has reestablished his tight relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and he has stated that a peace agreement should result in the removal of all Palestinians from Gaza, at least temporarily.

Israel said it would close its embassy in Ireland in December, claiming the nation has “anti-Israel policies.” Ireland’s decision to recognize an independent Palestinian state in May was one of several actions that have angered Israel.

They might also talk about the war in Ukraine. Martin’s visit is the first by a foreign leader since a violent disagreement broke out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s meeting with Trump at the White House in late February. However, following negotiations in which Kyiv agreed to accept a U.S. plan for a 30-day ceasefire in its battle with Russia, the United States decided on Tuesday to restore military supplies to Ukraine.

Although Ireland is not a NATO member and has not sent deadly help to Ukraine, it has sent hundreds of millions of dollars in non-lethal aid to the country in eastern Europe, and Martin has stated that Ireland can do more.

Martin is scheduled to have breakfast with U.S. Vice President JD Vance at the vice-presidential home. Later in the day, Martin will be with Trump and lawmakers at the White House and on Capitol Hill.