Trump touches a nerve while in Ireland by saying reunification would be ’fantastic’
During a visit to Ireland, U.S. President Donald Trump publicly endorsed the reunification of Ireland and Northern Ireland, calling it a 'fantastic' prospect. His comments, which deviate from the traditional diplomatic caution of his predecessors, coincide with rising tensions between the U.S. and the U.K. over foreign policy and territorial disputes.
Why it matters
The remarks risk destabilizing delicate diplomatic relations between the U.S. and the U.K. while potentially inflaming long-standing sectarian tensions in Northern Ireland.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday (September 12, 2026) that a unified Ireland would be “fantastic” as he waded into a complex and politically charged subject during a weekend visit to a tournament at his Irish golf course.
At a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin in Dublin, Mr. Trump said he would love to see the reunification of the Republic of Ireland with the United Kingdom's Northern Ireland.
“I don’t want to cause any problems but I’d love to see it unified," Mr. Trump told a reporter who sought his opinion on the issue. "It’s going to happen eventually. It may as well happen now.
“I think it would be a fantastic thing," the Republican president said, adding that "the U.K. will have something to say about it, obviously.”
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