US President Donald Trump said Saturday that ties between the United States and Ireland are stronger than ever, while describing bilateral trade as "very profitable" for Ireland but less so for the US.
Speaking alongside Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin following their meeting in Dublin, Trump praised the longstanding ties between the two countries and said Washington would continue to maintain a strong relationship with Dublin.
"We have a big relationship with Ireland," Trump said. "It's never been as good as it is right now."
He said the US-Ireland trade relationship has been "very profitable" for Ireland, adding: "It's less profitable for us, to be honest with you."
Trump noted his earlier meeting with Irish President Catherine Connolly had covered a range of issues, including energy supplies to Europe and Northern Ireland.
He said they also discussed Northern Ireland, acknowledging the complexity of relations between communities on both sides of the Irish border.
He expressed support for closer ties, saying he believed it would ultimately be a "fantastic thing" for people on the island of Ireland.
The president also turned to trade relations with Canada and Mexico, defending his administration's approach to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
Asked whether he was considering withdrawing from the agreement, Trump rejected the premise, saying the US has "a real relationship with Mexico" and describing relations with Canada as good but economically unfair to Washington.
He accused Canada of taking advantage of the US for decades and complained about tariffs imposed on American farmers, saying some Canadian duties reach 400%.
Trump said Canada wants to negotiate a new deal and indicated that an agreement could be reached "fairly soon" if the tariffs and other issues are addressed.
