Trump, Irish leader meet amid differences on Gaza war, trade

By Andrea Shalal and Gram Slattery

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump met Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin on Wednesday for wide-ranging talks that reflected differences over trade and the conflict in Gaza, although both leaders pledged to expand cooperation between the two countries.

The annual White House meeting around the time of St. Patrick's Day is usually a relatively straightforward affair for both the United States and Ireland. Recent meetings were with Trump's proudly Irish-American Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden.

Trump, sitting next to Martin in the Oval Office, said "of course" he would respond to retaliatory tariffs announced on Wednesday by the European Union, of which Ireland is a member, and said April 2 would mark the start of reciprocal tariffs.

"Whatever they charge us, we're charging them," Trump said. "If they charge us 25 or 20% or 10% or 2% or 200%, then that's what we're charging them." Trump underscored his belief that higher tariffs will encourage investment and increased manufacturing in the United States.

He said Ireland had lured away U.S. pharmaceutical companies and others with low tax rates, telling Martin that while he respected that decision, he felt U.S. leaders should have acted to prevent the off-shoring moves.

He said he expected to work with Ireland, calling it a beautiful country, but said the "massive deficit" in trade had to be addressed.

Martin lauded Trump's own investment in Ireland, a golf course in Doonbeg, and said he was the only president to have done so.

Martin also noted that companies like pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly, which has extensive operations in Ireland, valued the skilled workforce and good productivity in his country, but had also announced plans to invest more heavily in the U.S.

The Indianapolis-based drugmaker announced plans to plough money into four new U.S. production plants, more than doubling its investments announced since 2020 to $50 billion. It has been operating in Ireland since 1978 and currently employs over 3,500 people across three sites there.

Irish companies were also investing more in the U.S., he said. "We are investing a lot more in America now," Martin said, citing investments by Ryanair and others. "It's only fair ... I think it's a relationship that can develop."

Trump said he expected the two countries to work together.

"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."

While none of Trump's trade measures has been aimed directly at Ireland, the nation of 5.4 million has a trade surplus with the United States and U.S.-owned foreign multinationals employ a significant portion of Irish workers. It will be subject to any EU tariffs, given that trade is governed by the bloc.

Trump has also threatened to slap tariffs on pharmaceutical products, a major industry in Ireland.

Martin downplayed differences over Gaza, saying that both countries were pressing for the release of hostages held by Palestinian militant group Hamas and enactment of a ceasefire.

Trump has resumed his close alliance with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu since taking office in January, and he has said that all Palestinians should be removed from Gaza, at least temporarily, following a peace deal.

In December, Israel announced it would close its embassy in Ireland, citing the country's "anti-Israel policies." Among the moves Ireland has made that have upset Israel was one in May to recognize an independent Palestinian state.

The Irish leader repeated his call for a surge of humanitarian aid into the Palestinian enclave and his support for a two-state solution, but did not directly address a question about Trump's call for removing Palestinians from Gaza.

"Nobody is expelling any Palestinians from Gaza," Trump shot back to a question on the issue.

The two leaders later traveled to the U.S. Capitol for a traditional lunch.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who joined Trump and Martin in the Oval Office, also hosted the Irish leader at his vice presidential residence for a breakfast.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal and Gram Slattery; additional reporting by Nandita Bose; Editing by Trevor Hunnicutt, Leslie Adler and Sandra Maler)