The Irish Army Guard of Honor stood at rigid attention along a red carpet at Áras an Uachtaráin — the official residence of Ireland's president — in Phoenix Park, Dublin, while the national anthems of both countries echoed across the grounds. President Trump inspected the assembled troops with a military escort before walking inside to meet Irish President Catherine Connolly on September 12.
Four years ago, European leaders couldn't stop lecturing us about "norms." Now they're rolling out full military formations.
The Dublin visit packed a full diplomatic schedule into a single day. After the ceremony with President Connolly, Trump moved to Farmleigh House for a bilateral meeting with Taoiseach Micheál Martin — Ireland's Prime Minister — where the two discussed U.S.-Ireland trade relations, including the trade deficit between the two countries. Trump told reporters that a unified Ireland would be "fantastic" and predicted it was "going to happen eventually."
That's the kind of comment that sends State Department careerists into full cardiac arrest. American presidents don't usually wade into the Irish reunification question. Trump treated it like it was obvious, because to anyone outside of Foggy Bottom, it kind of is.
The day also included a gathering with American and Irish business leaders at the U.S. ambassador's residence, where Trump signaled that a trade deal with Canada could come together "fairly soon." For a president the media insists the world despises, he keeps getting invited to very nice dinners.
The Gardaí — Ireland's national police — implemented traffic restrictions around Dublin Airport, Phoenix Park, and portions of the M50 motorway to accommodate the visit. Public protests did occur alongside the official proceedings, because no Trump visit would be complete without a collection of people holding signs that accomplish nothing. The security operation alone tells you what the Irish government thought of this visit: it mattered enough to shut down highways.
Trump capped the trip with a visit to Trump International Golf Links in Doonbeg for the Irish Open tournament. The man negotiates trade deficits in the morning and plays host at an international golf tournament in the afternoon. Say what you want about the schedule — it's not the itinerary of someone the world is ignoring.
The contrast writes itself. While Trump is getting military honors in Dublin and talking reunification with a NATO ally's head of government, the Democratic bench back home is busy arguing about whether Ilhan Omar committed immigration fraud and whether their party's base should be taking foreign policy cues from a Twitch streamer.
European allies spent 2021 through 2024 pretending they preferred the alternative. Now the alternative is gone, and the red carpets are back out. The Irish Army doesn't assemble a Guard of Honor for leaders they don't take seriously.