It was always unlikely that anything of that sort would happen during the Taoiseach’s visit, and the same is true this year. It is true that Trump’s erratic, stream-of-consciousness performances during these encounters leave open the possibility of unforeseen pitfalls. But the choreographed amiability of the occasion affords the visiting Taoiseach a measure of protection. The calculation is that there is little to be gained and much to lose from provoking the unpredictable occupant of the White House. In seeking to repeat the feat tomorrow, he must attempt to avoid the embarrassing obsequiousness that some other visiting heads of state have shown.

Source: The Irish Times March 16, 2026 01:00 UTC