President Trump hosted Micheál Martin, the prime minister of Ireland, at the White House on Wednesday, with an escalating trade dispute with Europe hovering over the usual pomp and circumstance.
Official Washington, dappled in green, feted Mr. Martin at the traditional visit ahead of St. Patrick’s Day. But Mr. Trump gave no hint of backing down from actions that have caused fissures in the trans-Atlantic alliance.
In the Oval Office, Mr. Trump, seated next to Mr. Martin, railed against the European Union’s trade policies and regulation of American companies.
“The European Union treats us very badly, and they have for years,” he said.
Mr. Martin largely took a back seat during the meeting, seeking to avoid the fireworks that erupted at the White House two weeks ago when Mr. Trump rebuked President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, casting him as ungrateful for U.S. aid.
Here are three takeaways from Mr. Martin’s visit.
The president showed no signs of changing course on tariffs.
The stock market has declined. Top business leaders are privately complaining. And even some Republicans are voicing concern. But Mr. Trump said on Wednesday that he had no plans to change his strategy on sweeping tariffs.
In fact, Mr. Trump suggested that he might institute steeper levies after the European Union announced billions of dollars in retaliatory tariffs.
“Of course I’m going to respond,” he said.
He added that Ireland, too, was “of course” taking advantage of the United States, complaining about the trade imbalance between the two countries.
Mr. Martin worked to avoid Mr. Trump’s wrath.
After Mr. Trump sparred with Mr. Zelensky, Mr. Martin sought to steer clear of a confrontation with the president or Vice President JD Vance, who also attended Wednesday’s meeting. Even as the leaders disagree over critical issues, particularly Mr. Trump’s trade policy and his handling of the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Mr. Martin tried to avoid discord at every turn.
Asked whether he planned to use the bilateral meeting to raise Ireland’s position on the Israel-Gaza conflict, the Irish leader said: “The president is very well suited to know the whole situation. We share the president’s unrelenting voice for peace.”
As Mr. Trump complained about Ireland luring away U.S. pharmaceutical companies with tax breaks, Mr. Martin emphasized that Irish companies were also investing in the United States.
“It’s a two-way street, too,” he said. He said the Irish airlines Ryanair and AerCap were together buying “more Boeing airplanes than anybody else.”
“That’s good,” Trump responded, though he did not appear to be particularly enthused.
Mr. Trump turned to some of his favorite topics: golf, fighters and feuds.
As he criticized the European Union, Mr. Trump spoke of the challenges he faced in getting approval from the bloc as he tried to expand his hotel and golf course in Ireland. But the subject also served as an opportunity to trumpet his family business from the seat of American power.
“It’s one of the most highly rated hotels in Europe,” he said of Trump International Golf Links in the village of Doonbeg.
Mr. Martin quickly changed the subject to praise Mr. Trump’s property.
“You have the distinction of being, I think, the only president that has physically invested in Ireland through Doonbeg,” he said, adding, “It’s just stunning.”
Mr. Trump appreciated the compliment. “I love this guy,” he said.
The president also spoke favorably of Conor McGregor, the mixed martial arts fighter, when asked by a reporter to name his favorite Irish person. But the reference may not have won over many skeptics in Ireland. Mr. McGregor has had a string of legal issues, including being held liable for sexual assault.
“I do happen to like your fighter,” Mr. Trump said. “He’s got the best tattoos I’ve ever seen.”
Finally, Mr. Trump got a dig in at one of his favorite targets: Rosie O’Donnell. A correspondent for the right-wing news channel Real America’s Voice asked Mr. Martin why he would allow Ms. O’Donnell to move to Ireland, after she confirmed this month that she had relocated there.
Mr. Martin seemed to shrug off the question, when Mr. Trump asked whether he knew who she was.
“You’re better off not knowing,” Mr. Trump said.
Megan Specia contributed reporting from London.
