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Trump says he would ‘love’ to see unified Ireland and ‘it may as well happen now’ as he visits Dublin
On Saturday, September 12, 2026, President Donald Trump publicly endorsed a united Ireland during his visit to Dublin. Speaking at Farmleigh House, Trump stated he would "love to see" the country unified, adding that unification is "going to happen eventually."
Previous American presidents typically avoided commenting on Northern Ireland's constitutional status due to the region's history of sectarian violence, which claimed 3,600 lives over 30 years. The 1998 Good Friday Agreement largely ended the conflict but left the territory's status unresolved.
During a bilateral meeting, Trump told Taoiseach Micheál Martin that unification would be a "great feather in everybody's cap." While acknowledging the United Kingdom "will have something to say about it," he argued unification "may as well happen now."
DUP leader Gavin Robinson stated Northern Ireland's future "will be decided by the people of Northern Ireland," while Prime Minister Andy Burnham's office maintained a referendum is "off the table."
Constitutional change requires the consent of Northern Ireland's people under the 1998 peace accord. Despite Trump's remarks, officials note the United States is not pressuring Britain to hold a referendum, leaving the decision to local voters.
Donald Trump said he wanted to see Ireland and Northern Ireland reunified during a visit to Ireland, which angered opponents of reunification, forcing Trump to later issue a clarification.
"This will eventually happen," said the 80-year-old US President, while the US has so far shown a neutral position on this particularly delicate debate.