OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
3:00 PM – Tuesday, March 17, 2026
As “Operation Epic Fury” enters its third week, Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin provided a European perspective on the escalating conflict between the United States and Iran.
Speaking on Fox’s “Special Report” ahead of his St. Patrick’s Day engagement with President Donald Trump, the Irish Prime Minister emphasized what he described as the necessity of a diplomatic de-escalation.
“From the Irish perspective, we prefer peaceful resolution of conflict, if that’s possible, and we ultimately believe in diplomacy and dialogue,” he said.
While Martin aligned with President Trump’s stance that Tehran must be prevented and ultimately stopped from achieving nuclear parity, he signaled a clear departure from the current U.S. military strategy.
“Everyone has acknowledged that you cannot have a rogue state like Iran getting control of nuclear weapons,” Martin declared. “And it was a very, very repressive regime.”
Drawing on Ireland’s own historical strife, the Taoiseach suggested that the lessons of the “Troubles” — the decades-long sectarian conflict between Protestant unionists and Catholic nationalists — could serve as a roadmap for modern international friction.
“We had war ourselves on the island of Ireland,” he told Fox News. “It was a terrible 30-year conflict, and we learned a lot in terms of how to resolve conflict.”
Despite the divergence in military tactics, Martin dismissed claims of a cooling relationship between Dublin and Washington. He framed the U.S.-Irish partnership as one built on shared history and robust economic interdependence rather than total political uniformity.
“We come with mutual respect. We don’t agree on everything, of course,” he continued. “And I think that once we have that mutual respect and so forth, I think the relationship will continue to grow. I mean, there’s 35 million people in America who claim Irish-American descent.”
To reinforce the “strength of these ties,” Martin pointed to the scale of Irish capital currently fueling the American economy:
“$390 billion of investment ongoing over the years, increasing all of the time. 800 Irish companies now employing… about 200,000 people across America, which illustrates the transformation of the relationship between the US and Ireland,” Martin added.
As Martin prepared for the traditional presentation of the shamrock bowl, he also expressed optimism regarding his dialogue with President Trump, recalling their 2025 encounter.
“I’m looking forward to the visit,” Martin said. “I had a very good visit last year, and we had a good engagement. He was an extremely courteous person …”
Closing with a tribute to the Irish diaspora during the “America 250” celebrations, Martin acknowledged the unique role Irish-Americans play in the bilateral bond.
“This year in the America 250, essentially, we want to affirm what you did, the contribution you made to America, in building America, but also you maintained that dual loyalty to your country here in America, your new country, but also that loyalty to Ireland, that commitment to Ireland and advocacy for Ireland, which has stood us in great stead,” he said.
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