Ireland in firing line as Trump talks up US trade

Trade figures published in recent weeks by the US Department of Commerce deserve wide coverage, because they have effectively signalled flashing red lights for Ireland, writes John Whelan.

What the figures showed — the largest international trade deficit by the US in nine years — could be the straw in the wind to blow President Donald Trump into accelerating his America First policies to the point of creating a full-blown trade war.

The US international trade gap in goods and services rose to €470bn last year.