Irish Prime Minister visits the White House in the midst of Divisions on Economics, Ukraine and Gaza

For more than 70 years, Irish leaders have visited the White House for the annual celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, in honor of the Irish-American heritage.

But this Wednesday, the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Michael Martin must give President Donald Trump with something more than the traditional gift of a clover, while dealing with possible friction for the low expense in defense of Ireland, the support for the Palestinians in Gaza and the Ukrainians, and the great commercial imbalance between both countries.

Although the previous Irish prime ministers enjoyed the warm hospitality of the White House by former president Joe Biden, who often highlighted his «immense pride» for his Irish ancestry, Wednesday’s meeting will be largely a proof of Martin’s diplomatic assumption while managing the relationship with a crucial partner on which his country depends economically.

Martin was very aware of the risks of his visit.

«I am very aware that, in such a complex world, thousands and thousands of jobs depend on the economic relationship between the United States and Ireland,» he said Monday at the South By Southwest conference in Austin, Texas, where he began his tour of the United States.

«And my primary objective is to consolidate that relationship for the future and protect those who already have a job,» Martin added.

The meeting occurs in the midst of concern in Ireland for Trump’s measures to impose new tariffs elevated to Canada and Mexico, neighboring countries with large commercial imbalances with the United States.

According to data from the US Economic Analysis Office, Ireland has the fourth largest commercial surplus with the North American country, with about 87,000 million dollars, behind Vietnam, Mexico and China, but ahead of Canada. Trump has also threatened to apply tariffs to the products of the European Union, which would also affect Ireland, a member of the EU.

Ireland also depends largely on the long -standing investment of US multinational companies to generate employment, tax revenues and exports. According to data from the American Chamber of Commerce of Ireland, around 970 US companies directly employ 211,000 people and indirectly generate another 168,000 jobs throughout Ireland.

Large American companies, such as Apple, Google, Microsoft, Meta and Pfizer, have established European headquarters in the country, attracted by their English -speaking and qualified workforce, access to the single European market and its low tax rate of companies of 12.5 %.

As elected president, Trump promised to drastically cut the tax rate of US societies to match the Irish and repatriate US companies, thus recovering their commercial activities and money from their taxes.

The United States is a fundamental partner, and the Irish have a lot of concern about what Trump can raise during this meeting, said Eoin Drea, principal researcher at the Wilfried Martens European Studies Center.

«The best possible scenario would be that there was not a public confrontation or an important disagreement» among the leaders, Drea told VOA.

Ukraine and Gaza

Leaving aside taxes and tariffs, Martin must also overcome geopolitical divisions, including those related to Ukraine and Gaza.

The Irish prime minister will be the first foreign leader to visit the White House after the tense exchange between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy 11 days ago. Dublin’s position reflects that of kyiv, in the sense that Ukraine needs security guarantees backed by the United States to achieve a high fire with Russia.

But of all possible irritants, Gaza could be the matter that requires the most delicate management by Martin. Irish opposition leaders, as the leader of Sinn Féin, Mary Lou McDonald, and the politician of the Labor Party Duncan Smith, have pressed Martin to face Trump and defend the difficult situation of the Palestinians in Gaza.

Dublin is one of the main European critics of Israel’s behavior in Gaza, and one of the only three European states, together with Norway and Spain, which in 2024 recognized the state of Palestine. It has also joined a South African legal action before the International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of Genocide in Gaza.

The Irish delegation would do well to focus on economic issues, where both countries are «less diametrically opposite» than in their positions on Gaza, said Drea.

While Trump presses European countries to increase spending and depend less on Washington for their safety, the low defense expense of Ireland, of only 0.2 % of the gross domestic product, is another area in which the United States can exert pressure.

Ireland is not a member of NATO and depends largely on the United Kingdom for its defense, including the protection of the huge network of submarine cables that constitutes the backbone of global internet and communication systems. 75 % of all transatlantic cables pass through Irish waters or are close to them.

To counteract the pressures of the US president, so negotiating, the Irish government «would be intelligent if some type of personalized incentives would induce,» said Drea, pointing to Trump’s properties in Ireland, including one of the most famous golf courses in the country.

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