Trump took ‘huge interest’ in Northern Ireland, deputy First Minister says
By David Young, PA, in Washington, DC
US President Donald Trump took “a huge amount of interest in Northern Ireland”, deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly has said.
Mr Trump met Ms Little-Pengelly, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons and Assembly Speaker Edwin Poots at an event at the US Capitol on Wednesday.
Speaking to the PA news agency after the Friends of Ireland luncheon, Ms Little-Pengelly said: “I had a really good conversation with the President. Of course, we started out discussing Ukraine and the need for a peaceful resolution to that situation.
“But of course, we moved on to talk about Northern Ireland. He showed a huge amount of interest in Northern Ireland, a recognition of Northern Ireland – particularly the golf, it has to be said.
“We talked about the longstanding relationship that the US has had with Northern Ireland has been obviously beneficial to Northern Ireland, but I think mutually beneficial to both jurisdictions.”
Ms Little-Pengelly said there is a “two-way flow” of trade between Northern Ireland and the US and added: “We talked very much about how to continue that constructive relationship moving forward.”
The deputy First Minister said it is important that people in Washington DC are “speaking up for Northern Ireland” amid a deepening trade war.
Asked if she discussed the impact on Northern Ireland of the ongoing EU-US trade dispute with the President, she said: “I think understandably in this type of meeting, you don’t get into the absolute detail of any of that, but I have taken the opportunity this week to raise it with a number of people, both politically in terms of up on the Hill but also with, for example, Lord Mandelson, who is the new UK ambassador to the US.
“I think it’s really important that those key people around DC understand the nuances of this because it’s, of course, understandable if Northern Ireland may not be the top of their agenda when they’re talking about the relationship between the US and the EU and what potentially could be a punitive trade war.
“So I want to make sure that the right people know the detail of this and are speaking up for Northern Ireland.”
Speaking to PA outside the US Capitol, she added: “For me, this trip has very much been about showing up, standing up and speaking up for Northern Ireland. I do believe that it is right to be here to do that because this is an important time, and there are consequences for Northern Ireland, of course, if this goes wrong.”
Asked about Mr Trump saying he was unaware some Northern Ireland parties are undertaking a boycott of the Washington trip, Ms Little-Pengelly said: “It’s a matter for Michelle O’Neill and Sinn Fein.”
She added: “I think it’s incredibly important for me to be here. We get unparalleled levels of access.”
