Fair to say that Simon isn’t speaking for everyone on this matter.
Yesterday, the Irish government announced that Donald Trump would make a brief stop in Ireland on his way to Europe for Armistic Day commemorations later this year.
It will be Trump’s first visit to Ireland since he was elected President of America in 2016.
Tweeting about this news, Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said: “President Trump will visit Ireland in November. The US President is always welcome in Ireland. Our two countries have such strong historic, economic, cultural and family ties. Maintaining those connections is always a top priority.”
President Trump will visit Ireland in November. The US President is always welcome in Ireland. Our two countries have such strong historic, economic, cultural and family ties. Maintaining those connections is always a top priority 🇺🇸🇮🇪🇪🇺
— Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) August 31, 2018
It quite quickly became clear, as Coveney’s tweet received over 1,300 responses and counting, the vast majority of them overwhelmingly negative, that the Tánaiste was not speaking on behalf of the entire Irish population.
Indeed, even some of his fellow Fine Gael TDs seemed to express bemusement that Trump would be visiting our shores.
Noel Rock, for example, tweeted this image (and Minister for Health Simon Harris ‘Liked’ it):
https://twitter.com/NoelRock/status/1035616583958388736
Other . major public figures, such as the Rubber Bandits, also shared their two cents on the upcoming visit.
But Simon, he’s a gowl
— The Blindboy Podcast (@bbboatclub) September 1, 2018
* gobshite
— Gavin (@gavinsblog) September 1, 2018
https://twitter.com/nbrez/status/1035645102381772801
Tánaiste, this invitation is unnecessary, unwelcome and unwise.
We have an historic & moral responsibility to stand for something internationally.
An invite to this most decredited of American presidents is an insult to the values of most Irish people. #IrishStand https://t.co/Z3Ut7gQHfm— Aodhán Ó RÃordáin (@AodhanORiordain) August 31, 2018
https://twitter.com/hollyshortall/status/1035663759572979713
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