Summary
- Taoiseach Micheál Martin has met with US president Donald Trump in Washington
- Conversation topics between the two leaders included Ireland’s housing crisis and Trump’s favourite Irish people
- Martin presented Trump with a bowl of live Irish shamrock at around 10pm Irish time
- US vice president JD Vance hosted Mr Martin at the vice presidential residence for a breakfast this morning
- How do you think the Oval Office meeting went? Vote in our poll.
10.15pm
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has presented an Irish-made crystal bowl containing fresh shamrock to the US president Donald Trump at the White House for the occasion of St Patrick’s Day 2025.
At the shamrock ceremony, Trump introduced various figures in his Cabinet with Irish heritage. A guest also held up a green ‘Make America Great Again’ hat.
Photo: PA
During the ceremony, Micheál Martin underlined Ireland’s investment in the United States and the work Irish people have done in the US.
“Just like our peoples and cultures, our economies are deeply interconnected,” he said.
The Irish Times reported that Martin said he hopes to build “ever-growing prosperity” on the “mutually beneficial two-way economic relationship” that exists between Ireland and the US.
Meanwhile, US president Donald Trump hailed “the long and unique friendship between Americans and the Irish” after being gifted the bowl of shamrock.
Trump said: “I love the Irish. I’ve had great, great friends over the years, and I love the Irish – special people – and I’ve been to Ireland many times.”
The presentation of shamrock to the White House has long been a symbol of the friendship between Ireland and the United States. This tradition dates back to 1953, when Ambassador John Joseph Hearne, Ireland’s Ambassador to the United States (1950-1960), first presented a bowl of shamrock to US President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Since then, the ceremony has continued annually through successive administrations. For this year’s ceremony, the shamrock was provided by Living Shamrock, a company based in Ballinskelligs, Co Kerry.
The fresh shamrock was grown and harvested for export with the required phytosanitary certifications.
The crystal bowl, presented to President Trump, was created by the House of Waterford, part of the Fiskars Group, known for its fine Irish crystal production.
8.20pm
There was a strong Northern Ireland presence at the Friends of Ireland luncheon at the US Capitol despite the Sinn Féin boycott, Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
Asked for his reaction to President Donald Trump saying he was unaware some parties had decided to boycott Washington, DC events, Mr Martin said: “I’m not going to comment on that.
“I note that there was a strong presence in Northern Ireland at the lunch. I saw Hilary Benn there, the Northern Secretary of State.
“I met with the Friends of Ireland just now, and they’re they were appreciative of the progress that has been made in respect of the relationship between the United Kingdom Government and the Irish Government and I briefed them on the progress that has been made now between the UK Government and the Irish Government and also the progress within Northern Ireland itself and the Executive over a year in existence and going well, and the chemistry between the First Minister and Deputy First Minister and so on, being very positive.”
7.20pm
Ireland shares President Donald Trump’s “unrelenting focus on peace”, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said.
Mr Martin hailed the US president’s work on “peace initiatives” in Ukraine and the Middle East at several engagements across his Washington, DC itinerary on Wednesday.
Martin has described US president Donald Trump as a “great friend of Ireland”.
He added: “Mr President, we are forever grateful for the United States’ contribution to transforming our island, and we wish you well in the efforts that you are making to bring peace to the Ukraine and to the Middle East and further afield.
“We thank you for your leadership and indeed your ongoing friendship to Ireland.”
Speaking at a lunch at the US Capitol, the Taoiseach also paid tribute to House Speaker Mike Johnson as a “true friend of our nation”.
6.40pm
Some remarks by the Taoiseach at the Friends of Ireland Lunch in Washington D.C.
Micheál Martin thanked US president Donald Trump as well as the organisation chair, senators, and representatives for welcoming him to Washington D.C. to celebrate St Patrick’s Day.
“This is a cherished opportunity to break bread with our most steadfast friends,” he said.
Photo: Getty
“It is now more than 40 years since Speaker Tip O’Neill invited President Ronald Reagan to the Capitol for the first St. Patrick’s Day lunch.
“Thus began a proud tradition, which I am honoured to continue today in your esteemed company.”
4.50pm
The pair – that being Donald Trump and Micheál Martin – have now entered private talks. Next up for the Taoiseach is the US Friends of Ireland congressional luncheon, hosted by Speaker Mike Johnson at the US Capitol at 1pm American time, 5pm Irish time.
Mr Martin will be back at the White House tonight for the traditional shamrock ceremony scheduled for 5pm in Washington, 9pm Irish time, but the way today has gone, that will probably be later than scheduled too.
4.45pm
Some more tidbits from the Oval Office:
US President Donald Trump said it is a “great honour” to have Taoiseach Micheál Martin at the Oval Office.
Speaking in front of reporters, Mr Trump said: “We have tremendous business relationships in Ireland, and that will only get stronger.
“The relationship we have, personally in every other way is very, very strong and very, very good. So, I just want to welcome you to Washington DC and to our country and thank you very much.”
Mr Martin thanked the president for his hospitality and said it was a “great honour” to be in Washington DC to celebrate St Patrick’s Day.
“I commend you on the work that your doing, particularly when it comes to peace.”
Mr Trump also said that Ireland is “of course” taking advantage of the US.
“The EU was set up in order to take advantage of the United States,” Mr Trump said.
Asked if Ireland was also taking advantage of the US, he said: “Of course they are. I have great respect for Ireland, for what they did and they should have done just what they did. But the United States shouldn’t have let that happen. We had stupid leaders, we had leaders who didn’t have a clue.”
He said there is a “massive” trade imbalance between the two countries, and accussed the Irish Government of “taking” US pharmaceutical companies through attractive taxation measures and criticised the EU’s ruling that found that Apple owes Ireland billions of euro in taxes.
“All of a sudden Ireland has our pharmaceutical companies, this beautiful island of five million people has got the entire US pharmaceutical industry in its grasps.
“We don’t want to do anything to hurt Ireland but we do want fairness and he understands that.”
He said previous presidents had “lost big segments” of the US economy, adding that the “European Union treats us very badly”.
“They have not been fair. They sue our companies and win massive amounts of money. They sued Apple, won 17 billion US dollars and they use that for other reasons, I guess, to run the European Union.
“So I’m not knocking it. They’re doing what they should be doing, perhaps for the European Union, but it does create ill will – and as you know, we’re going to be doing reciprocal tariffs so whatever they charge us with, we’re charging them. Nobody can complain about that.”
Mr Trump told reporters in the Oval Office: “There’s a massive deficit that we have with Ireland and with other countries too, and we want to sort of even that out as nicely as we can, and we’ll work together.
“But the deficit is massive.
“I have property in Ireland, as you know, and I love it, it does great, but I’d like to see the United States not have been so stupid for so many years, not just with Ireland, with everybody.
“For instance, when the pharmaceutical companies started to go to Ireland, I would have said ‘that’s OK if you want to go to Ireland, I think it’s great, but if you want to sell anything into the United States I’m going to put a 200 per cent tariff on you so you’re never going to be able to sell anything into the United States’. You know what they would have done? They would have stayed here.”
4.40pm
And we are done, with the final question asked about Doonbeg, Co Clare, where Mr Trump owns a hotel and golfcourse.
Trump says the Irish authorities gave him approval for works to be done at the resort “in about four weeks” but he was told it would take “give to seven years” to get EU approval.
“I will hand it to Ireland but I don’t know why the EU had to approve it,” Trump says.
Mr Martin told Mr Trump he has “the distinction of being the only president who has invested in Ireland” and describes the resort as “stunning”. Trump loves this comment, and makes no attempt to hide it.
An Irish reporter then asks if Ireland is too close to the EU. Trump’s answer is basically Ireland good, EU bad.
4.35pm
Donald Trump has said that Ireland has a housing crisis because the country is doing “so well”.
The US President was asked about how Ireland would build thousands more homes a year.
“You know why they have a housing crisis? Because they’re doing so well, they can’t produce houses fast enough. That’s a good problem, not a bad problem.”
Mr Martin interjected to say that was a “good answer”.
Mr Trump, gesturing to Mr Martin, added: “I know this gentleman, he’ll get it solved.”
4.30pm
Tyump has just been asked who his favourite Irish person is and he said “I really like your fighter.” The reporters ask if it’s Conor McGregor he’s referring to, and Trump compliments his tattoos before nodding to Martin and saying “he is great, right?”
Mr Martin dodged a bullet here though because shortly after that comment, Trump mentioned that the Taoiseach’s father was a fighter.
“I think the Irish love Trump,” he said shortly before this. “I have been there many times and we don’t want to do anything to hurt Ireland but we want fairness.”
4.15pm
Micheál Martin hasn’t really gotten a word in since the start of the meeting, but interjects to talk about Irish investments in the US, with the US President having said that Ireland had used its tax policies to lure away pharmaceutical and other companies from the United States, and doubled down on his vow to impose reciprocal tariffs to help rebuild U.S. manufacturing.
Mr Trump told reporters in the Oval Office: “There’s a massive deficit that we have with Ireland and with other countries too, and we want to sort of even that out as nicely as we can, and we’ll work together.
“But the deficit is massive.”
4.10pm
An Irish reporter asked Mr Trump about the Occupied Territories Bill, to which he replies “you’re not from Israel that’s for sure.”
He then talks about the manner in which Israeli hostages were treated by Hamas.
4.05pm
US President Donald Trump said he had not heard that some Northern Ireland political parties have decided to boycott St Patrick’s Day celebrations in Washington, DC over his administration’s stance on Gaza.
Sinn Féin, the SDLP and Alliance had ruled out attending such events.
Asked about the boycotts while meeting Taoiseach Micheál Martin in the Oval Office, Mr Trump told reporters: “I haven’t heard that, I really haven’t heard that”.
3.35pm
The Taoiseach has arrived at the West Wing of the White House for his bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump. Better late than never.
Mr Trump greeted Mr Martin by shaking hands outside the West Wing ahead of their sit-down engagement in the Oval Office.
President Donald J. Trump Welcomes Taoiseach Micheál Martin to The White House 🇺🇸🇮🇪 @MichealMartinTD pic.twitter.com/HCEv79M4R4
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 12, 2025
3.15pm
The Irish Times have reported that the meeting between Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Donald Trump was due to start at 2.45pm but has been pushed back. They understand that the Taoiseach is currently en route to the White House, however.
The bilateral meeting set to take place in the Oval Office is expected to last an hour or so.
1.50pm
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has invited US vice president JD Vance on a trip to Ireland – extending a particular invite to Mr Martin’s native Co Cork.
“We would be honoured and delighted to welcome you both back to our shores before too long,” Mr Martin said at the vice president’s residence in Washington DC.
The Taoiseach referenced a road trip to Ireland by Mr Vance and his wife Usha, where they visited the Ring of Kerry, Skibbereen in Co Cork, Cashel in Co Tipperary and Dublin.
“You tasted the delights of the English Market and I’d love to bring you back there in particular,” Mr Martin said.
“Now, the vice president did say the road trip could be somewhat difficult next time around, given the number of vehicles that might have to be attached.”
Mr Martin said he understood Mr Vance plays golf and referenced US President Donald Trump’s golf course in Doonbeg, Co Clare.
“We have some exceptional courses in Ireland, one of which – in a remote and beautiful part of Ireland called Doonbeg – President Trump could tell you a thing or two about playing.”
1.30pm
Micheál Martin and JD Vance have had a warm exchange of words at a breakfast meeting at the US vice president’s residence in Washington DC.
Mr Vance said the breakfast was to remind people of the strength of the relationship between Ireland and the US.
He said that during a visit to Ireland, he noted its “beautiful” landscapes and “interesting technological growth”.
US vice president JD Vance speaking at the breakfast meeting. Photo: Niall Carson/PA
“One of the things we try to do with this breakfast is just remind people of the important bonds of friendship between the United States and Ireland,” he said.
Sporting a pair of shamrock socks which he showed to the room, Mr Vance added: “The president is a very big fan of conservative dress, and so if he notices these socks, you have to defend this as an important part of cementing the Irish-American relationship.”
Mr Martin thanked Mr Vance for his “warm welcome and hospitality” and joked that he would need to “adjust very rapidly” his “conservative” dress sense after seeing Mr Vance’s socks.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin speaking at the breakfast meeting. Photo: Niall Carson/PA
“The United States has been a steadfast friend of Ireland for centuries. Indeed, the United States was the first country to recognise our long-sought independence,” Mr Martin said. “Together, we have built deep and enduring political, cultural and economic bonds, greatly enriching our two nations in the process.”
Among those at the meeting are US health secretary Robert F Kennedy and Ireland’s ambassador to the US Geraldine Byrne Nason.
1.10pm
JD Vance has used his speech at the breakfast meeting with Micheál Martin to display his shamrock-themed socks.
Photo: Niall Carson/PA
Photo: Niall Carson/PA
Photo: Niall Carson/PA
1pm
US health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has also arrived at the vice presidential residence in Washington DC, where Taoiseach Micheál Martin is meeting with vice president JD Vance.
A member of the Kennedy political dynasty with strong Irish links, RFK Jr is the son of Robert F Kennedy and nephew of former president John F Kennedy.
Photo: Niall Carson/PA
Photo: Niall Carson/PA
12.50pm
Micheál Martin has said a “two-way street” of investment is something he intends to highlight in his discussions with Donald Trump in a bid to address concerns the US president may voice around a trade imbalance between Ireland and the US.
Ireland is among countries vulnerable to changes in the global economy proposed by president Trump, with a significant proportion of employment, tax receipts and exports all directly dependent on a cluster of US multinational firms.
Ireland’s goods trade surplus with the United States reached a record €50 billion in 2024, according to data from the Central Statistics Office.
Read more: How exposed is Ireland to the US economy and Trump’s plans?
12.35pm
Micheál Martin and his wife Mary have been greeted by JD Vance and his wife Usha at the US vice president’s residence to kick off a day of engagements to mark St Patrick’s Day.
Mr Martin will have a breakfast meeting with Mr Vance at the US Naval Observatory.
The Taoiseach will later take part in a highly-anticipated meeting with Donald Trump at the White House, before an event where he will hand the US president a bowl of shamrock.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin and his wife Mary meeting US vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha. Photo: Niall Carson/PA
Photo: Niall Carson/PA
Photo: Niall Carson/PA
12.25pm
US secretary of state Marco Rubio has stopped at Shannon Airport on his way back from ceasefire talks with Ukraine in Saudi Arabia.
Mr Rubio said the United States will have contact with Russia on Wednesday about the agreement reached with Ukraine on a 30-day ceasefire and steps toward ending the war there.
“We all eagerly await the Russian response and urge them strongly to consider ending all hostilities,” Mr Rubio said during the refuelling stop at Shannon.
“If they say no, then obviously we’ll have to examine everything and sort of figure out where we stand in the world and what their true intentions are. I think it’ll be if they say no, it’ll tell us a lot about what their goals are and what their mindset is.”
12.15pm
Micheál Martin’s meeting with Donald Trump will happen amid the backdrop of a looming trade war between the US and the European Union.
The EU confirmed this morning that it will impose counter tariffs on €26 billion worth of US goods from next month, ramping up a global trade war in response to blanket US tariffs on steel and aluminium.
Mr Trump’s increased tariffs of 25 per cent on all steel and aluminium imports took effect today.
The European Commission said it will end its current suspension of tariffs on US products on April 1st and that its tariffs will be fully in place by April 13th.
Read more: EU to impose counter tariffs on €26bn of US goods as global trade war looms
12.10pm
Welcome to our live coverage of Micheal Martin’s meeting with Donald Trump in the White House as part of the traditional St Patrick’s Day celebrations.
First up for the Taoiseach is breakfast with US vice president JD Vance, which is due to happen at about 12.30pm Irish time.
Ireland
How exposed is Ireland to the US economy and Trump…
Mr Martin will then head for a bilateral meeting with Mr Trump, where the Taoiseach is expected to highlight Irish investment in America.
There will also be a lunch at the US Congress, before Mr Martin heads back to the White House for the traditional shamrock ceremony which is to take place at about 8pm Irish time.
Mr Martin is the first European leader to meet with Mr Trump since Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s now-infamous meeting in the Oval Office last month.
Follow all the developments live here on breakingnews.ie.
