Trump praises Ireland, but the Taoiseach’s smiles hide a more awkward reality
Taoiseach Micheal Martin and US President Donald Trump during the St Patrick's Day Reception and Shamrock Ceremony in the the East Room of the White House, in Washington DC, as part of his week long visit to the US. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire
It was only a brief conversation, but Trump the charmer was all smiles in the Oval Office when I grabbed a private moment with him.
At the end of 50 minutes of questions with the press, I loitered behind to ask the president if he would be coming to Ireland for the Ryder Cup.
“I would love to,” he told me.
Having asked two questions during the expansive media briefing, Trump had already looked me in the eye to tell me that Ireland’s housing crisis is down to the fact that we are “doing so well” economically.
Micheál Martin smiled as he made the remark, but it drew criticism from those watching back home, including Sinn Féin’s Eoin Ó Broin who was quick to suggest that “joking about the housing crisis is never “a good answer”.
With the rest of the media filing out through the glass double doors towards the Rose Lawn, I stayed behind as Trump turned to Mr Martin and pointed at me after I had asked him about his plans to attend the golf.
“Make sure she’s there, she’s very nice,” Mr Trump said looking back at me with a smile.
Flattery is something Donald Trump loves to receive but also apparently likes to give out.
He had praised Ireland — and indeed the Taoiseach, as a “great guy” — during the media briefing which took in everything from US education cuts to Conor McGregor; transgender issues; Gaza; and what he described as the threat of world war three and potential sanctions on Russia if it does not co-operate on the latest peace proposals.
A tense Taoiseach tried his best to put on a relaxed facade, smiling and nodding emphatically in agreement to many of the points Trump made. But there was much which Martin had to grin and bear.
“We do have a massive deficit with Ireland,” Trump began, as Martin bent forward anxiously waiting to hear what was coming next.
“But Ireland was very smart, they took our pharmaceutical companies away from presidents who didn’t know what they were doing. And you know, it’s too bad that happened.
“It’s a tremendous job. The Irish, you are smart people and you took our pharmaceutical companies and other companies through taxation, proper taxation, they made it very, very good for companies to move.”
The smile turned to a grimace as Trump continued: “The European Union has been very tough, and it’s our turn too”.
Mentioning the Apple tax case, the president said it had created “ill-will”.
The Taoiseach, who usually commands the conversation and can be difficult to interrupt, was left sitting silently as Trump continued, promising tariffs.
It was almost agonising to watch the Taoiseach as Trump held court.
But when he did manage to speak, Martin stressed the fact that the relationship between the two countries was a “two-way street”.
“We are investing a lot more in America now, and people may not realise, but Ryanair, one of our biggest airlines, for example, and AerCap, they buy more, two of them together, more Boeing airplanes than anybody else outside of America. That’s a little known fact.
“It doesn’t turn up in different statistics, but Ryanair and AerCap, big aircraft leasing company, Irish company, have done great work.”
While the media were treated to a lengthy edition of the Oval Office circus, Martin got just 15 minutes before the press briefing in private with the president, during which Ukraine peace talks and Trump’s resort in Doonbeg were raised.
However, in what was described as an “unusual” move, Trump offered Micheál a ride to the Capitol, where both men had time to talk privately before the speaker’s lunch.
Both men were still smiling when they arrived at the lunch reception.
Inside, the timber-clad dining room, Trump was back in showtime mode addressing the gathering before a performance from the Riverdance troupe.
Many people struggle with the term Taoiseach, but not Trump: His pronunciation was perfect.
Referring to Martin by his first name, he told the gathering that he had earlier asked how many people refer to him as ‘Michael’.
“He said: ‘about 50%,’ I said: ‘do you get upset when they do?’
The Taoiseach didn’t mind, but Trump insisted: “I’m going to call you Micheál, because that’s the way it is.”
But the compliments didn’t end there. Trump continued:
“I know so many Irish fighters, they like to fight. But your father — his father — was a great fighter, actually.
"So that means genetically, I’m not gonna mess around with you.”
Martin had made it out of the bout, a little sheepishly, but mainly unscathed.
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