The US president made his comments in support of Irish unity during his two-day visit to Ireland.
Donald Trump’s support of a united Ireland should come as “no surprise” to unionists, the Irish premier has said as he accused unionist politicians of “overreacting” to the US president’s remarks.
Mr Trump made his comments in support of Irish unity during his two-day visit to Ireland.
He repeated his remarks as he spoke to reporters on his golf resort in Doonbeg, Co Clare on Sunday.
Mr Trump described Irish unity as “one of the naturals of all time”.
His comments attracted criticism from unionists, with Northern Ireland’s deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly saying the US president is known for his “undiplomatic interventions”.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said Mr Trump has previously raised the matter with him on whether there will be a “merger” between both jurisdictions.
Speaking on Monday, Mr Martin said: “I think there was an overreaction from the unionists, some unionist politicians, in terms of some of the language that was used.
“Using language like that a united Ireland would bring about the destruction of Northern Ireland, I wouldn’t agree with (DUP leader) Gavin Robinson on that.
“It should be no surprise to them because last year; any time I spoke to President Trump about Northern Ireland, he does ask the question: Do you think there will be a merger any time soon?
“I said to him at some stage. I support Irish unity, but I do indicate to him then that there was the whole peace process that led to the Good Friday Agreement, that that idea of working with the British Government in lockstep was the underpinning of that agreement, is necessary in terms of the next stages and so on.”
Mr Martin told RTÉ Radio One: “He, from a North American point of view, he sees an island here. As we discussed the golf, there’s no border in golf in Ireland. There’s no border in rugby. We were having this conversation, and he said, ‘You’re the same’. And I said, ‘largely speaking, yes’. I said but there are many people in Northern Ireland who have, I said, a belief that they are British citizens. I said, we have people in Northern Ireland who are Irish citizens, and I said, we’ve got to evolve this.
“But that is his view. He believes the logical imperative is unity, and he does, as you know, he’s not conventional in terms of previous presidents. He will say what he believes, and he believes that.”
Speaking on the second day of his trip to Ireland on Sunday, Mr Trump also dismissed the diplomatic backlash to his remarks, which have dominated his trip.
Ms Little-Pengelly said Mr Trump “relishes controversy”, adding that the public should take his remarks with a “huge pinch of salt”.
“I think my first observation on it would be that people here shouldn’t be too exercised about this because, as we’ve heard, like this is just classic Donald Trump. It is Donald Trump,” she said.
“He is known for his undiplomatic interventions right throughout the globe, but he’s also somebody, as we’ve heard, look, he relishes controversy, and I think there’s no doubt that that was part of what he was doing.
“He is not happy with the UK at the moment for a range of reasons, including that he hasn’t been able to bully the UK into a war in Iran and other issues.
“I do think that he was being a combination, perhaps, of mischievousness, but indeed causing controversy and getting headlines. Perhaps a bit of distraction there as well.
“Everybody knows that this issue is a settled issue. This is a question for the people of Northern Ireland. I don’t believe that Donald Trump’s view on this will change one single person from being pro-United Kingdom to being pro-United Ireland.
“There are many, many issues that I disagree with him on. This, of course, is another one. But like, I’m going to file this with some of his other suggestions. For example, of trying to buy Greenland, or that Canada should be the 51st state of America.
“I think those people who are taking this utterance in all seriousness should place that within the context.
“He is a man known for his controversies. I don’t think it will change a single vote here, and that matter is absolutely clear, that the future of Northern Ireland lies with the people here in Northern Ireland.
“My advice to everybody is to take the President’s comments with a huge pinch of salt.”
Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill said Mr Trump’s comments reflect that conversations about a united Ireland are “very much on the table”.
“I think it reflects the fact that there is a growing conversation around constitutional change at home in Ireland, and I think that that has been reflected in what we’ve heard in the commentary over the weekend,” she told Sky News on Monday.
“I can tell you, the world that I grew up in, and where I was in 1998, and where we are today in 2026, is a world apart.
“So much progress has been delivered, so much positivity has been delivered. But we have a next stage of our national journey to to tread, and I think the next stage of our journey is absolutely around the issue of unification.
“So the fact that so many people, including in an international way, are now engaged in that conversation tells you exactly where it’s at.
Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald said the transition to a united Ireland must be “peaceful” and “democratic”.
She told RTÉ Radio One: “It has to include all shades of opinion, from all across the spectrum, right across our island, including voices from unionism and loyalism and that’s not just going to happen by chance.
“The Government in Dublin needs to be very front-footed from here on in, in shaping and clearing the space for that democratic conversation.”
