LIVEDonald Trump tells Taoiseach he will try to visit Ireland later this year

Asked about Catherine Connolly's comments that his war against Iran was illegal, Mr Trump said that the President was 'lucky I exist'

Taoiseach Micheál Martin during a bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington DC. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

US President Donald Trump will "try" to visit Ireland later this year, the US President has told Micheál Martin.

Speaking in the Oval Office as the Taoiseach visited the White House on Tuesday for St Patrick's Day, Mr Trump said that his Doonbeg hotel in Clare was one of the "best golf complexes in the world" and that the Irish Open was a "major event".

Mr Trump said that Mr Martin had told him that he "hopes he goes" to the event in September.

• Mr Trump and the Taoiseach spoke to the media from the Oval Office ahead of their bilateral meeting later today. 

You can watch a video of their press conference below: 

Asked about objections to an extension at Doonbeg related to a species of snail, Mr Trump said that he "had not heard" about that.

Mr Trump had welcomed Mr Martin to the White House by saying that the relationship between the two nations would "be expanded", with Mr Martin saying that the Irish relationship with the US is "foundational" and that Mr Trump's invitation "affirmed" that relationship.

Mr Trump said that 23 Presidents of the US had Irish blood, which showed that the Irish are "great politicians".

Trump 'disappointed' with Starmer over his Iran stance

Iran, Nato, and UK prime minister Keir Starmer dominated the press conference between the Taoiseach and Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

Asked about his relationship with the UK, Mr Trump said that he was "disappointed" in Keir Starmer for failing to support war in Iran.

Mr Trump said that he believed that Mr Starmer is "no Churchill".

Mr Martin said that Mr Starmer had "done much work to reset the UK-Irish relationship" but said that you "cannot have a rogue state with a nuclear weapon" and that Iran was a "sponsor of terror" which had committed "savage murder" upon thousands of its own people.

"What we want is a peaceful resolution. That's where we come from as a small nation."

Trump claims oil prices will soon 'drop like a rock'

Mr Trump said that it "won't be too long" before the Strait of Hormuz is safe for oil tankers and promised that fuel prices would "drop like a rock" when the crisis is over.

Mr Trump said that he had "many friends" who are Irish who supported his actions in Iran.

"They're very happy that I'm getting rid of a nuclear terrorist and as soon as that war is over, which will be soon, your prices are going to drop like a rock. You watch."

Mr Trump had said that he had prevented "nuclear holocaust" by bombing Iran.

“I said Iran was a big threat to this country, to this world of ours, and turned out I was right.

“You can’t let them have a nuclear weapon. If they got a nuclear weapon, I would say they would have used it within 24 hours after having it.

“I think it would have hit Europe, maybe not Ireland, but it would have hit Europe.

“It is big enough, you would have been affected.” 

Asked about President Catherine Connolly's comments that his war was illegal, Mr Trump said that the President was "lucky I exist".