DONALD TRUMP has caused the United States’ relations with Ireland to suffer badly, according to an American foreign policy expert.
Heather Conley, Senior Vice President for Europe, Eurasia and the Arctic at CSIS (Center for Strategic & International Studies), says that Trump’s lack of understanding of the impact of Brexit to the Good Friday Agreement, as well as his decision not to have a US ambassador stationed in Dublin has lead to an unsettled period of Irish-US relations.
Irish leader Leo Varadkar during a visit to The White House“Quite frankly, I think there’s concern that the US underappreciated the destabilising role of Brexit for Northern Ireland and the Good Friday peace accord, which was such a product of US leadership,” said Conley during a press conference about the President’s upcoming European tour, which includes a trip to Ireland this week.
“I think there has been drift in this relationship. I mean, this is important symbolically for an American president to visit Ireland.
“You know, what strikes me about this, I have to go back in the record books, but the fact of the matter is we have not had a US ambassador in Dublin for two years. We have a charge d’affaires.
“This is extraordinary for a relationship, an Irish-American relationship that is so strong and so profound.
“The fact that we don’t have a US ambassador to me underscores that you know, this has just been a problematic issue that we cannot seem to resolve. You know, again, bilaterally the issues are not great.”
Conley went on to suggest that Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Trump have differing points of view when it comes to the European Union.
“The Taoiseach was just meeting with the President in March. There are true disagreements about the EU and the value of the EU to both Ireland and the United States.” She said.
Trump will be staying at his golf resort in Co. Clare during his state visit this weekConley later referenced the planned demonstrations about Trump’s visit to Ireland.
“The demonstrations will be there. In fact, the Taoiseach was quite clear that he said in a democracy it is fine to promote, you know, demonstrations. That’s democracy in action.
“And, of course, that does not make the President very happy when he sees demonstrators. So it’ll be an interesting visit. But this has certainly been a fraught stop to schedule in a place where it should be quite easy to do so,” she added.
Trump is currently in England visiting Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey today. He’s due to arrive in Ireland on Wednesday night and will be staying at his golf resort in Doonbeg, Co. Clare.
