US multinationals unlikely to 'uproot themselves overnight' if Trump enacts tariffs

US president Donald Trump could use St Patrick's Day to raise the Occupied Territories Bill or Gaza or even Ireland’s defence spend. Picture: Alex Brandon

Most major US multinationals are unlikely to “uproot themselves overnight” from Ireland if US president Donald Trump slaps tariffs on goods and services from Ireland, according to a global economic expert.

Mike O’Sullivan, who studied at  University College Cork before serving on national and international economic bodies, did caution that growing EU regulation — such as the Digital Services Act and the AI Act — are more likely “points of vulnerability” for the sector.