Trump lands in Ireland for golf tournament, PM talks

Donald Trump landed in Ireland under tight security Saturday for two days of diplomacy and golf, on a trip that again blurs the lines between his presidency and personal business interests.

The US president touched down at Dublin airport in his Qatari-gifted plane shortly before 8:25 am (0725 GMT), AFP reporters saw.

At least 4,000 police and other personnel, including snipers, have been mobilised for the visit, in what has been dubbed one of the biggest security operations ever mounted in Ireland.

Thousands of anti-Trump protesters are planning to rally in Dublin, where the US leader will hold separate meetings with Ireland's taoiseach (prime minister) Micheal Martin and President Catherine Connolly.

Trump is then due to fly to his luxury resort in Doonbeg, on Ireland's west coast, where some of the world's top golfers are competing in the Irish Open tournament.

The golf-mad president -- whose relaxed relationship with the game's rules was documented by sports journalist Rick Reilly in the 2019 book "Commander in Cheat" -- may even award the trophy on Sunday.

"He's really just visiting the golf resort he owns and dropping into Dublin for a courtesy visit," Daniel Geary, a US history professor at Trinity College Dublin, told AFP.

"He sees little difference between his private interests and his role as president."

Business

The 80-year-old billionaire has promoted his family's golf business unabashedly since returning to the White House for his second stint as president in January 2025.

Last summer, he welcomed then-UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen to his plush resort at Turnberry on the west coast of Scotland.

Trump then inaugurated another golf course bearing his name in the town of Balmedie, near Aberdeen on the northeast Scottish coast.

"He certainly sends a message that he is passionately interested in his own family's business," University of Minnesota law professor Richard Painter said ahead of the Ireland trip.

"It's not going to help the Republican party in the midterms to have the president... promoting his golf courses for the super-wealthy, when other people are having trouble making ends meet," the expert on government ethics added.

The security operation for Trump's visit is reportedly costing Ireland 20 million euros ($23 million) and comes as the country already grapples with a massive policing operation for its six-month presidency of the EU.

Trump's attendance at Doonbeg -- a remote, coastal site in County Clare that the Trump Organization purchased in 2014 -- adds an extra layer of complexity to the security effort.

Some 40,000 fans are expected at the tournament over the weekend, with six-time major winner and current world number two Rory McIlroy the main draw.

McIlroy, who has played golf with Trump, told the BBC this week that the tournament will feel "different" with the US president on site, but that the players will just "keep our heads down and play".

Short and courteous

Trump's first meeting is with Connolly, who occupies the largely ceremonial role of president. She is a left-winger and Trump critic, who is under pressure to raise Gaza during their discussions.

Trump will then see Irish leader Martin, whom he has hosted twice in the Oval Office and appears to get on well with.

The Middle East, including America's and Israel's war on Iran, and US tariffs on EU pharmaceuticals and immigration are likely to be on the agenda.

Ireland and the United States have long been close allies, partly because of their common ancestral ties.

But the Irish government's politics diverge sharply with that of the Trump administration on many issues -- particularly support for the Palestinians.

Ireland is among several countries, including Spain, the UK and France, that have announced a trade ban targeting Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

"Martin is experienced enough that it should be fine at the political level. The big uncertainty is President Connolly," Eoin O'Malley, a political scientist at Dublin City University, told AFP.

"She protested against his last visit (in 2019), and her supporters will expect her to make some show for them. But she's also aware that she cannot do or say anything that might inflict damage on the relationship.

"I expect it will be short and courteous."