THE WHITE HOUSE has said that US President Donald Trump is to visit Ireland in November. 

The visit will be made as part of a visit by Trump to Europe to mark the 100th anniversary of the armistice that ended the fighting in World War I. 

“While in Europe, the President also will visit Ireland to renew the deep and historic ties between our two nations,” the White House said in a statement. 

Trump said last year he hoped to come to Ireland after he held a meeting with former Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

“I really love Ireland, I’ll be there absolutely,” Trump said in response to a question in March 2017. 

On his first visit to Washington as Taoiseach this year, Leo Varadkar said the invite to Trump still stood. 

In a statement this evening, a spokesperson for the Taoiseach said that it will be a “brief visit”: 

The Taoiseach understands that President Trump will stop in Ireland for a brief visit on his way to or from the Armistice commemorations in Paris. It will be an opportunity to follow up on the issues discussed in the White House in March including migration, trade, climate change and human rights issues.

Tweeting in response to the White House’s announcement this evening, Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said that “the US President is always welcome in Ireland”.

“We understand that President Trump will stop in Ireland for a brief visit on his way to or from the Armistice commemorations in Paris on 11 November,” Coveney said in a follow up tweet without giving any further details. 

“The President’s participation in this event will highlight the sacrifices that Americans have made, not only during World War I but also in the century since, in the name of liberty,” the White House said.

Trump’s visit here is likely to face protests with Solidarity and the Labour Party already committing to doing so.

“Donald Trump has been no friend of democracy or human rights. We will always be firm friends of the American people, but Ireland will not welcome a man with Trump’s record of discrimination, sexism and lies. Labour will join with like-minded people to oppose this visit,” Labour leader Brendan Howlin said this evening. 

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