In the year when Northern Ireland celebrated its links with and support for the United States of America we see the ill-informed and idiotic comments of President Trump cast a shadow over relations. Northern Ireland joined with America in celebrating its 250th Anniversary and as an Institution we promoted the Faith & Freedom 250 Festival to mark these connections. Yet now we see Trump on more of a golf holiday than a state visit to the Republic of Ireland make comments supporting Irish Unity. Perhaps he would be better to invest his energy in promoting American unity for even in this year as that country celebrates its foundation we see a country deeply divided under his Presidency.
Thankfully we can easily dismiss his comments as the usual fleeting rhetoric of a President whose grasp of foreign policy is as tenuous as his grasp at times on reality. From his Greenland aspirations to his failing intervention in Iran Trump has flip flopped through foreign policy. His treatment of Israel in recent times and his disregard for the special relationship with the United Kingdom should illustrate how fickle he is – less statesmanlike and more like playground politics. His latest statements on unification of Ireland should be read in the context of his attempt to spite and spurn the present Labour Government for their failure to support him.
The blame for the comments rests with recent Labour governments which have refused to support him in Iran and now have acted to sanction Israel. Trump in typical style is lashing out and just as he made similar anti-British statements about the Falkland Islands and overtures to Argentina he is doing the same in respect of our democratically endorsed position in the United Kingdom. Doubtless he will forget his dislike of the present Spanish Government and issue a similar statement about Gibraltar in the coming days to make it a trio of Trump gaffs.
Sadly Trump’s administration cannot even maintain good relations with its closest neighbour Canada and the current trade and tariff war reminds us of previous American attempts to bully and attack Canada. In the wake of their war of Independence American designs on British North America were quickly seen off and the later Fenian ‘invasion’ was beaten back by Loyal Orange militia forces. Indeed it was this American aggression that developed a sense of Canadian nationhood, and doubtless Canada will see off this latest assault and be the stronger for it.
However if President Trump sees merit in uniting different countries which share a land mass then we would welcome the return of the United States to the fold of British North America, perhaps the Trump era is proof that Americans shouldn’t be allowed to elect their own President and govern themselves ! So if we want to talk about erasing borders and reuniting counties lets forget the last 250 years and perhaps write them off as a mistake and reunite North America under the Union Jack.
We will be interested to see how nationalists and republicans greet his comments. They have attacked and lambasted Trump throughout his time in office pointing to his poor grasp of foreign policy, his idiotic interventions in the affairs of other countries and have dismissed every word and action he has made. So surely a Trump endorsement of Irish Unity should be the kiss of death, or will they suddenly become Trump supporters. Perhaps we will see Sinn Fein/IRA perform yet another policy and principle U-Turn and swap their balaclavas and berets for green ‘Made Ireland Great’ baseball caps!
Responding to the statement the Independent Loyal Institution said
“It would appear that the President of the United States of America continues to meddle in affairs that are of no business to him. Following his most recent visit to the Irish Republic, President Donald Trump was asked the question, What’s your view on Irish Unity Mr President ?
His answer was as absurd and embarrassing as his statements to take over Greenland, to make Canada the 51st State in the United States of America, that our Troops took a back seat in Afghanistan and to encourage us all to drink bleach to dispel the corona virus.
Imperial Grand Master of the Independent Orange Institution Wor Bro Phil Moffatt said “ President Trump has form when it comes to making some of the most ludicrous and outrageous statements and his comment, that Irish Unity is going to happen anyway at the press conference is just another example of how out of touch he is with reality. Northern Ireland is and shall remain an integral part of the United Kingdom. As many know, the Unionist community have big issues with the Windsor Framework which must be addressed, however we are still under the mother of Parliaments at Westminster. Our allegiance is to the British Crown and Constitution and this shall remain the case until the electorate of this Province determine otherwise”.
he continued ” Maybe the President should just stick to playing golf rather than meddling in matters over which he has no control or influence”
This is not the first occasion that the Independent Institution has called out President Trump, they condemned in the strongest possible terms his untruthful remarks that British Troops took a back seat in Afghanistan and never appeared on the front line. The President however was forced to withdraw his remarks and apologise to the veterans and their families.
