US PRESIDENT Donald Trump has been accused of "embarrassing" his fellow Americans by appearing to suggest that Ireland is part of the UK.
Mr Trump made the comments on the eve of his controversial visit to London this week, where he met the Queen for tea on Friday evening.
Speaking ahead of the trip, which began on Thursday, the 72-year-old told reporters: "I believe that the people in the UK - Scotland, Ireland, as you know I have property in Ireland, I have property all over - I think that those people they like me a lot and they agree with me on immigration."
Mr Trump had been playing down concerns over protests planned during his British visit when he made the comments.
His geographobic remarks quickly caused a stir online (to no one's surprise).
In the US, Democratic Congressman Brendan Boyle - whose father is from Co. Donegal and mother is from Co. Sligo - took to Twitter to take aim at the President's faux pas:
Dear @realDonaldTrump - Ireland is not part of the U.K. It’s been an independent country for about 100 years. It was kind of a big deal.
Please stop embarrassing us on the international stage. Thanks. https://t.co/ds5d8hH1NX— US Rep Brendan Boyle (@RepBrendanBoyle) July 13, 2018
I’m sure the brief specifically stated that Northern Ireland, not Ireland, is part of the UK, but the stable genius doesn’t read. Wonder if he thinks West Virginia is just the western side of Virginia instead of being a separate state.
— Ria (@ConsciousFury) July 13, 2018
Basic information like that would have been in his briefings .... y'know.... the ones he didn't read.
— Mar-a-Hell-No!! (@Mar_a_Hell_No) July 13, 2018
Mr Boyle wrote: "Ireland is not part of the U.K. It’s been an independent country for about 100 years. It was kind of a big deal. Please stop embarrassing us on the international stage."
Referring to a similar gaffe made by the UK's former Brexit minister in 2016, another user said: "So like David Davis he has no idea that the Republic of Ireland is an independent country. All these small EU countries: how can a Big Picture guy like Trump keep up?"
A third added: "You're president of a super power and don't know basic geography. Ireland is Not part of the UK!"
.@realDonaldTrump just included Ireland in the UK. So like David Davis he has no idea that the Republic of Ireland is an independent country. All these small EU countries: how can a Big Picture guy like Trump keep up?
— Gerry Hassan (@GerryHassan) July 12, 2018
@realDonaldTrump when you're president of a super power and don't know basic geography. Ireland is Not part of the "uk"
— Van1llaGorilla (@MartinjKeane) July 12, 2018
Did he just call Ireland part of the UK? @realDonaldTrump #StableGenius
— bacon world peace (@LBLynch) July 12, 2018
In 2017, the speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, vetoed the possibility of the US President speaking inside the chamber over parliament’s opposition to his alleged "racism and sexism".
President Trump is scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki next week following Friday's meetings with Prime Minister Theresa May at Chequers and the Queen at Windsor Castle.
There is a touch of Apocalypse Now to the imminent arrival of @realDonaldTrump here at Chequers pic.twitter.com/rSgw6KIKwE
— Robert Peston (@Peston) July 13, 2018
