Donald Trump makes controversial statement on Ireland unification during Dublin presidential visit
Donald Trump made a controversial statement about Ireland during a recent presidential trip to Dublin.
During the two-day visit, the US President met with political leaders and visited his golf course in Doonbeg.
While in Dublin, he had a meeting with Taoiseach Micheál Martin at the Farmleigh Estate, during which he said he would 'love to see a unified Ireland' and predicted it will 'happen eventually'.
Trump said: 'I don't want to cause any trouble, but I'll tell you I would love to see a unified Ireland.
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'I think it would be a great feather in everybody's cap if that happened. It's going to happen eventually.'
The 80-year-old US leader continued by saying he 'may as well happen now'.
He added: 'You know how I see it, it's going to happen eventually. It may as well happen now. I think it would be a fantastic thing. Now the UK will have something to say about it, obviously, but I think it would be a great thing.'
Describing the relationship between the US and Ireland as 'fantastic', Trump said that the Irish have been 'great friends of America'.
Wrapping up his controversial speech, he said that the business people present in the room are some of the most 'successful people in the world', adding that he is happy that Ireland is now the sixth biggest source of foreign direct investment in America.
He later described the idea as 'a very cool thing' and said: "No matter what you say, no matter how well you say it, there's no good answer, right?"
It's just the latest of Trump's antics to hit headlines.
He found himself at the centre of backlash on Friday (September 11) after he appeared to fall asleep during a memorial for the victims of 9/11.
Trump attended a memorial held outside the Pentagon in Virginia, which was live streamed.
Viewers spotted the 80-year-old president looking like he'd fallen asleep in his seat at the event, prompting criticism online.
Responding to the stream, one person said: "Watching the 9/11 memorial and Trump is asleep."
"Trump is literally falling asleep at the wheel at the Pentagon Ceremony #911," wrote a second, while a third added: "They just showed Trump at the Pentagon and he is f***ing ASLEEP!! JHC."
Trump chose not to join all previous living presidents at a memorial held at the former World Trade Center site, with his decision reportedly due to a policy prohibiting political figures from addressing the crowd, per The New York Times.
The National Sept. 11 Memorial and Museum hasn't allowed any political figure to host a talk at the Ground Zero ceremony since 2012, therefore Trump decided to attend the Virginia plane crash site instead, where he was able to make an address.
Topics: Donald Trump, US News, World News, Politics, Ireland
Danni King