President Donald Trump created an awkward moment at the White House on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, when he seemed to mistake Ireland’s head of state as a man during the annual St. Patrick’s Day event. Asked about President Catherine Connolly’s critique of the U.S.-Israel war with Iran, Trump replied, “Look, he’s lucky I exist”—apparently not realizing Ireland’s president is female. Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin did not correct him.
The president’s slip occurred during what is usually a lighthearted Oval Office tradition, when the 65-year-old Martin presented Trump with the customary bowl of shamrocks. Instead, the visit turned into a rambling monologue touching on immigration, European leaders, and the conflict in Iran.
Body language specialist Judi James, reviewing footage for the Irish Star, described Martin as appearing “tense and wary” through much of the encounter, particularly as Trump made controversial remarks. Martin listened politely but noticeably worried when Trump questioned whether European nations would back his military moves in Iran. At one point, Martin seemed to raise his hand to interrupt, but was unsuccessful.
The meeting took an awkward turn when Trump shifted to criticizing Europe’s immigration policies. “I love Europe. I’ve spent a lot of time in Europe. It’s a different place. Bad—bad things have happened to Europe, very bad things, and you better do something about immigration,” he said.
Martin gently pushed back, saying that “sometimes Europe gets characterized wrongly in terms of it being overrun.” He noted Ireland’s population is increasing “in a very positive way” because the country draws workers “from Europe and beyond into work legally and validly.”
The president then criticized British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for not doing more in the Iran situation, complaining Starmer had offered “only” one aircraft carrier to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, where the U.S. is trying to reopen oil shipping lanes affected by the conflict. Trump said he was disappointed the U.K. hadn’t even supplied “a couple of minesweepers.”
Martin defended transatlantic ties, calling Starmer “a very earnest, sound person” whom Trump “got on with before.” When Trump pointed to a bust of Winston Churchill and said Starmer was “no Winston Churchill,” Martin quietly reminded him that Churchill had “a different perspective” in Ireland—”He created his own bit of difficulties for us,” Martin chuckled.
The strained Oval Office exchange came as Ireland pursues what analysts call a charm offensive to safeguard its valuable economic relationship with the United States. Ireland collected €28 billion in corporation tax in 2024, with just three U.S. firms—Apple, Microsoft, and Eli Lilly—accounting for nearly half. The country posted a budget surplus in 2025, largely driven by tax receipts from American multinationals.
Dan O’Brien, chief economist at the Institute of International and European Affairs, said Ireland’s exports to the U.S. now surpass those of Canada and Mexico, highlighting deep economic integration. Irish companies have announced over $6 billion in investments in the U.S., making Ireland the fifth-largest source of foreign investment into America.
The St. Patrick’s Day visit, which stems from the Friends of Ireland luncheon begun in 1983, has evolved from a sentimental ritual into a significant diplomatic and economic mission. Dan Mulhall, who was Ireland’s ambassador to the U.S. during Trump’s first term, said Martin left the meeting “without any bruises,” telling RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that Martin “served that purpose well.”
The awkward moment unfolded just hours after Joe Kent resigned as director of the National Counterterrorism Center. In his resignation letter posted on X, Kent said he “cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” arguing Iran “posed no imminent threat to our nation.” Trump dismissed the resignation, calling Kent “weak on security.”
Earlier in the day, Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha hosted Martin and his wife Mary O’Shea for a St. Patrick’s Day breakfast at the vice president’s residence at the U.S. Naval Observatory. Vance praised Ireland as an “important trading and economic partner,” noting the lasting cultural links between the countries.
Irish ministers were visiting cities including New York, Atlanta, and Miami this week as part of efforts to strengthen economic ties with the United States under the banner of “strong partnerships.” Tánaiste Simon Harris, Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, spent the holiday in Paris and Brussels meeting European counterparts ahead of Ireland’s EU presidency later this year.
House Speaker Mike Johnson hosted the Friends of Ireland luncheon on Capitol Hill after the White House meeting. At the shamrock ceremony, Martin highlighted the mutual advantages of the Irish-American relationship: “Today, across this great United States, more than 200,000 Americans go to work each morning in nearly 800 Irish-owned companies, operating in every sector, in every state.”
