Four separate payments were made.
Donald Trump has arrived in Ireland and will spend the next two nights here in between a day trip to Normandy on Thursday.
As part of the trip, it’s reported that the Trump administration paid an Irish company named JP Ward & Sons almost $1 million to rent limousines for the US President and the First Lady’s trip to Ireland.
The Wicklow based company operate as a funeral service but according to their website, they have also invested heavily in luxurious limousines based on the latest model Mercedes E Class.
“All our vehicles are driven by professional, discreet and fully uniformed drivers,” the company said.
Four separate payments of $458,871, $224,580, $134,532 and $117,050 were made to the family-run business according to USASpending.gov, an official US State website that records federal government spending.
It’s not the first time JP Ward & Sons have been used by US officials during a visit to Ireland.
The were reportedly paid $114,000 (€82,000) to chauffeur Michelle Obama and her daughters, Sasha and Malia, around Leinster for three days while then President Barack Obama attended the G8 Summit in Fermanagh.
Speaking at Shannon Airport earlier on Wednesday, President Trump also expressed his belief that Brexit would be good for Ireland.
“Probably you’ll ask me about Brexit because I just left some very good people who are very involved with Brexit, as you know,” Trump said in the leaders’ meeting. “And I think it will all work out very well, and also for you with your wall, your border.”
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar then interrupted saying: “I think one thing we want to avoid, of course, is a wall or border between us.”
“I think you do, I think you do,” Trump responded. “The way it works now is good, you want to try and to keep it that way. I know that’s a big point of contention with respect to Brexit. I’m sure it’s going to work out very well. I know they’re focused very heavily on it.”
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