Ireland Woos Trump in St. Patrick’s Day Charm Offensive

sdea}zf[0]c}slbh(scpn699_media_dl_1.png Department of Finance

Article content

(Bloomberg) — Irish Premier Micheál Martin will gift Donald Trump the traditional bowl of shamrock when he meets the US president for St. Patrick’s Day, part of a charm offensive as the nation seeks to safeguard an economic model built on US investment.

Article content

Ireland rakes in billions of euros in tax revenue every year from US multinationals like Apple Inc., Eli Lilly & Co. and Microsoft Corp, money that it can’t afford to lose. 

Article content

Article content

Article content

Such is the scale of the payments that the government can run huge budget surpluses – more than €7 billion ($8.1 billion) last year – while many across Europe struggle with deficits.

Article content

Article content

The meeting at the White House has historically been a soft-power opportunity for Ireland on its national holiday, but is now fraught with danger. Trump has accused European countries of taking advantage of the US, and Ireland has at times been singled out.

Article content

That means Martin needs to tread carefully with Trump, avoiding controversy on topics like tariffs and the war in Iran, while also selling the benefits of the economic relationship. Irish ministers are visiting cities including New York, Atlanta and Miami this week as part of the sales pitch, under the theme of “strong partnerships.”

Article content

Irish Deputy Prime Minister Simon Harris was pushing that message on Monday, saying that Irish-US ties are “two way” and benefit both nations.

Article content

“Economically it’s very hard to find a country that’s as integrated into the US economy,” said Dan O’Brien, chief economist of the Institute of International and European Affairs. “Exports from Ireland to the US exceed those of even Canada and Mexico. That gives some example of the sheer scale.” 

Article content

Article content

White House Tradition

Article content

The visit to the Oval Office by the Taoiseach, as the Irish prime minister is known, traces its roots back to 1952, though it only became a regular tradition years later. It’s steeped in sentiment and symbolism, but the financial stakes have increased in recent decades. 

Article content

Ireland’s tax receipts are highly concentrated, according to the country’s fiscal watchdog. Just three American firms paid almost half of the €28 billion in corporation tax Ireland collected in 2024.

Article content

This year’s White House meeting is potentially even more difficult given the war in Iran. Martin will be one of the first leaders to visit the White House since it began.

Article content

Ireland’s government hasn’t directly condemned the attacks, and Martin is under pressure from opposition politicians at home to say the US breached international law.

Article content

That would risk antagonizing Trump. The US president has criticized UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer for not cooperating in the Iran conflict, and threatened to cut off trade with Spain for denying access to military bases. 

Article content

“There is no mileage for the Taoiseach in engaging in any sort of public exchange with Donald Trump, any kind of public disagreement,” said Dan Mulhall, who was Ireland’s ambassador to the US during the last Trump administration. “He’ll try to avoid that and whatever points he wants to make, he’ll make privately if there is a chance to do that.”