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President Donald Trump arrived in Ireland on Saturday for a two-day visit, where he met the Irish head of state, Catherine Connolly, who previously called him a "bully."
The Irish president does not set foreign policy, but she does represent Dublin on the world stage. Given the large Irish American population, she wields diplomatic clout between Dublin and Washington.
There had been uncertainty over whether Trump would meet Connolly during the trip, Irish media reported, especially given her criticism of the U.S. president, including earlier this year around St. Patrick's Day.
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When contacted for comment, Connolly’s office told Newsweek on Saturday the heads of state met for 20 minutes during which they discussed the contribution of Irish emigrants to the United States, the 25th Anniversary of September 11th, and the 250th Anniversary of U.S. independence.
Meanwhile, the White House told Newsweek in a statement that Trump's "meetings with Irish political leaders will touch on bilateral economic cooperation, creating business opportunities for U.S. industry, and discussing international issues of mutual interest."
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Connolly Delivers Message on War and Peace to Trump
Connolly’s office referred Newsweek on Saturday to the Irish president’s statement after the meeting in which she "conveyed the strong view of the Irish people that the normalization of war and genocide can never be accepted."
"I assured President Trump that the Irish people would strongly support all those who have the strength to build a shared peace in all those parts of the world currently suffering from such horrific war and violence," the statement added.
Connolly said the world was facing "the existential threat posed by war and climate change," which she described as "inextricably interlinked."
"As a country which has suffered famine, colonization and the violence of the Troubles, but also the importance of the long and challenging road to peace, I emphasized the unique insight which Irish people can bring to the resolution of conflict," the statement said.
Connolly also gifted Trump a St Brigid’s Cross, a copy of the book "The Voyage of St Brendan," and the collected poems of Belfast poet Michael Longley, including his sonnet ‘Ceasefire’, the president's office added.
Trump has not publicly responded to Connolly’s comments. As he left Áras an Uachtaráin, he told reporters, "Everything will work out fine" when asked about Iran. Later, during his meeting with Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Trump said he would "love to see it unified" in reference to Ireland, adding that he believed a united Ireland would eventually happen.
What Has the Irish President said About Trump?
Connolly has made critical statements about Trump during her time as a lawmaker in the Irish parliament, the Dáil, while on the campaign trail for president and since she was elected head of state in November 2025.
In February 2025, while still a deputy (TD) in parliament, Connolly said in a debate marking the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine: "…there are countries we certainly cannot trust. America is one of those, and England and France are others."
"The [Irish] government is now using what Russia has done while not calling out America. In the speech today, Trump was called our friend, Trump, who has trampled on international law, supporting Israel, trampling on international law and reducing Gaza to nothing," she said.
She returned to the theme of the war in Gaza during her presidential campaign, saying on August 31, 2025, "Have I a trust problem with America? I think every person in the country has a trust problem with America."
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She went on to say that Trump "is volatile, unpredictable, acting like a bully, bringing in tariffs when it suits him," referring to the levies that the U.S. president imposed on countries, including Ireland.
"We keep talking about the consequences of tariffs, but we don't talk about the consequences of genocide," she added, referring to U.S. backing for Israel's actions in Gaza following the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas on Israel.
Around St. Patrick's Day this year, Connolly took aim at Trump, particularly over U.S. military action against Iran and broader international security issues.
"If we are going to act as an independent sovereign state, a neutral republic, we must use our voice to speak to power and the abuse of power by President Trump," she said.
When Trump was asked about Connolly's comments while he was at the White House with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, the U.S. president appeared to mix up her gender, saying, "look, he's lucky I exist, that's all I can say."
What Is Trump’s Schedule for Ireland?
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Trump arrived in Dublin on Air Force One on Saturday and met Connolly and Martin in separate engagements at Phoenix Park, where the president’s residence is located, The Irish Times reported.
Trump then headed to the Trump International Golf Links in Doonbeg, County Clare, for the Irish Open, where he will stay until Sunday.
Mary Lou McDonald, leader of Sinn Féin, Ireland's main opposition party, said her party would attend protests against the visit. McDonald called on Connolly to raise the issue of U.S. support for Israel amid the war in Gaza.
Protest organizers expected thousands to attend a demonstration at the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin's Parnell Square at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Further protests were planned at Doonbeg and Shannon Airport, where Trump flew in on Saturday evening.
Many of Connolly’s supporters expected her to confront Trump over U.S. support for Israel and the continuing expansion of settlements in the West Bank, The Irish Times reported.
The Social Democrats party told the newspaper that Connolly "is a strong advocate for peace and international law, as are the Irish people," while The Greens told the publication they were confident that Connolly would "find a way" to make her points to Trump.
09/13/2026 3:38 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Daniel Orton and Sam Wilson.
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