OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 1:01 PM PT — Thursday, March 14, 2019
President Trump recently talked Brexit and trade relations with the prime minister of Ireland, while hosting the leader at the White House.
During an Oval Office meeting with Leo Varadkar Thursday, the president voiced optimism over a new trade deal with the U.K. after Brexit. He also said his administration will negotiate a new ‘America first’ deal with the European Union or the bloc will face tariffs.
President Donald Trump meets with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, March 14, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)
The prime minister said while their views on Brexit differ, the relationship between the U.S. and Ireland remains strong. Varadkar said he appreciates what the president has done for his country economically.
“I particularly want to thank you for your help with the plant in the west of Ireland where hundreds of jobs were threatened as a result of the Russian sanctions,” he stated. “And with the help of the administration, we were able to save those jobs, so thank you very much for that.”
After the meeting, the prime minster said he appreciated the opportunity to lay out Ireland’s position on Brexit. The leaders then headed to Capitol Hill, where they attended a “Friends of Ireland” lunch ahead of Saint Patrick’s Day this Sunday.
