By Mathew Carr*

During Donald Trump’s visit to Ireland on September 12, 2026, both Irish President Catherine Connolly and Taoiseach Micheál Martin used their meetings to push for diplomatic resolutions and peace regarding the wars involving Iran and Ukraine.

Irish President Catherine Connolly

• Direct Anti-War Message: During their courtesy meeting at Áras an Uachtaráin, President Connolly delivered a firm diplomatic message, later confirming in a statement that she told Trump “the normalisation of war and genocide can never be accepted.”
• Symbolic Gestures: Connolly emphasized Ireland’s history with conflict and peacebuilding, gifting Trump a St. Brigid’s Cross—a traditional Irish symbol of peace—and a collection of poetry featuring Michael Longley’s famous sonnet Ceasefire.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin

• Push for Off-Ramps: In bilateral talks at Farmleigh House, Martin pressed Trump on finding an “off-ramp” and a structured diplomatic path to end the conflict with Iran.
• Focus on Ukraine: Martin raised the war in Ukraine, advocating for international cooperation, de-escalation, and open dialogue between the U.S., Europe, and global partners to resolve both conflicts peacefully.

While Trump expressed confidence during the visit that the conflict with Iran would end “very soon”, the Irish leadership consistently framed Ireland’s position around peace, international law, and opposition to prolonged warfare.

Trump did not directly engage with or accept the anti-war framework presented by the Irish leadership, choosing instead to maintain his own perspective on the conflicts while largely side-stepping President Catherine Connolly’s explicit warnings.

His Response to the Peace Push

• Side-stepping Connolly’s Warnings: When questioned about his meeting with President Connolly—where she urged that the “normalisation of war and genocide can never be accepted”—Trump avoided directly addressing her critique. Instead, he publicly described her as “wonderful” and stated that their conversation focused on issues like energy and water.
• Maintaining His Own Timeline on Iran: Rather than accepting calls for an immediate diplomatic off-ramp, Trump told reporters in Dublin that the conflict with Iran would end “very soon” on his own terms (suggesting a resolution around the U.S. midterm elections). He assured press that oil prices would soon “come tumbling down” and that “everything will work out fine”.
• Reframe via Irish Unification: Trump diverted media focus away from foreign policy friction by unexpectedly stating he would “love to see” a united Ireland and that “it’s going to happen eventually anyway,” a comment that quickly dominated headline coverage of his visit.

CarrZee comment: while Ireland has limited influence (according to a US military source and a US policy official) Trump has pressure on him to come up with something beautiful to prevent a big loss in the midterm elections in November.

As of Sunday evening, September 13, 2026, Donald Trump is still in Ireland wrapping up his two-day visit, though he is scheduled to fly back to the U.S. later tonight.

• Irish Open Final Round: Trump spent Sunday at his resort, Trump International Golf Links in Doonbeg, County Clare, watching the final round of the 2026 Amgen Irish Open.
• Trophy Presentation: He is scheduled to present the winner’s trophy at the 18th green on Sunday evening alongside Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
• Departure Schedule: Following the tournament events, Air Force One is scheduled to depart Shannon Airport on Sunday evening, returning him to Washington, D.C., overnight.

*with Gemini unchecked; warning