WASHINGTON — Tensions flared at the White House on Wednesday as President Trump criticized the European Union‘s trade practices during a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin.
The meeting, held ahead of St. Patrick’s Day, saw Trump fiercely defend his tariff policies while accusing previous US administrations of failing to protect key industries.
During the media-covered exchange, Trump condemned what he called “stupid leaders” who had allowed the “entire US pharmaceutical industry” to shift operations to Ireland.
The president pledged to impose reciprocal tariffs to “take back the wealth” from other nations.
“The United States is going to take back a lot of what was stolen from it by other countries and by, frankly, incompetent US leadership,” Trump, 78, told Martin, 64.
“You took our pharmaceutical companies and other companies,” Trump added, blaming past administrations for being unaware of the economic consequences.
Ireland has become a significant hub for several leading US-based pharmaceutical companies due to its corporate tax rate of 12.5% and membership in the European Union, which offers substantial trade benefits.
Key US firms such as Bristol Myers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson, AbbVie, Merck, and Pfizer have significant operations in the country.
Trump suggested that when pharmaceutical firms moved to Ireland, his administration should have imposed a 200% tariff on those exporting goods back to the US.
“I would have said, ‘That’s OK. If you want to go to Ireland, I think it’s great. But suppose you want to sell anything into the United States. In that case, I’m going to put a 200% tariff on you so you’re never going to be able to sell anything into the United States,'” Trump stated as Martin appeared uncomfortable beside him.
Martin’s visit, a traditional St. Patrick’s Day custom to strengthen US-Ireland relations, typically includes presenting the president with a bowl of shamrocks and attending a reception featuring Irish cultural performances.
However, this year’s meeting was overshadowed by escalating trade tensions. Hours before Martin’s arrival, the EU announced $28 billion in tariffs on US goods in response to a 25% duty on European aluminum and steel imposed earlier that day.
Attempting to ease tensions, Martin described the Ireland-US business relationship as “a two-way street,” emphasizing that ties between the two countries remained strong.
Martin’s visit marked Trump’s first face-to-face meeting with a foreign leader since his heated encounter with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on February 28.
Reflecting on that confrontation, Martin described it as “extraordinary” and “unsettling.”
Despite the tension, Martin praised recent diplomatic efforts and welcomed news that US and Ukraine delegations had reached a ceasefire agreement during talks in Saudi Arabia.
“A lasting, durable, and fair peace in Ukraine is something we all desire,” Martin posted on X (formerly Twitter), adding that the new ceasefire plan offered hope for ending the conflict.
Earlier on Wednesday, Martin had also met with Vice President JD Vance, reaffirming Ireland’s commitment to supporting global peace efforts.
“We know that building peace is a difficult and painstaking task, and we are ready to play our part to support the work to end conflict and to secure peace in Ukraine,” Martin said.
