TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN said he brought up the humanitarian situation in Gaza with Donald Trump yesterday, but that he did not refer to it as a “genocide” during the private meeting with the US President.

He denied that he changed his language on this issue while speaking to Trump.

Speaking to reporters at the Irish Open in Doonbeg this afternoon, the Taoiseach was asked to elaborate on the nature of his conversation about Gaza with Trump on Saturday morning in Dublin.

In response, he said: “Well, my main focus yesterday was in accelerating and getting more aid into Gaza.” 

The Taoiseach referred to Trump’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza and said he is “not satisfied” that enough aid is getting into Gaza. 

“That is the key issue now for the Palestinians. In fact, I received a thank-you message from the Palestinian ambassador in respect of raising the need for humanitarian aid to get into Gaza, particularly for children in Gaza.

“We’ve intervened in the South African case in respect of genocide in Gaza and I took that decision with the government some time back,” he said, adding:

“And we have been very consistent as a country in relation to the Middle East, and in relation to the Palestinian question.”

Asked if he used the word “genocide” during his meeting with Trump, the Taoiseach said he did not.

“No, I didn’t use that term specifically. But again, this is the campaigners kind of trying to denigrate people unfairly.

“No, the issue is the peace plan happened, aid is not getting into Gaza. The peace plan has not been implemented. Our focus is now to get proper peace in Gaza, to get a civilian administration established,” he said.

When he was asked why he changed his language, given that he has consistently used the word genocide in relation to Gaza, the Taoiseach responded: 

“I haven’t changed my language. I haven’t changed my language at all in respect to that issue.

“I think that’s unfair, and I think we should see it as the opposition, and it doesn’t hold water, quite frankly.”

Following the private meeting between the Taoiseach and Trump yesterday in Farmleigh in Dublin, the pair held a 20-minute press conference, during which Trump was asked: 

“President, what do you say to some people in Ireland who say the US is facilitating genocide in Gaza and also facilitating Israel around the illegal occupation of territories in the West Bank?”

In response, Trump said: “When you say Gaza, you know we put out the fire.”

He added:

“We got all the hostages back, and there’s very little happening right now in Gaza, because that’s not the place that people are talking about actually now. It was all about Gaza, and we got involved and we facilitated a peace of a kind, but we got all the hostages back. Some dead, some living. We got them all back.”

The Taoiseach interjected to add that he and Trump had discussed the need for ongoing aid into Gaza and that the president said he would facilitate discussions in terms of granting Irish Aid greater access to offer support.

In May 2025, the Taoiseach told the Dáil that the Israeli government was committing genocide in Gaza, in what was up to that point his strongest condemnation of Israel’s actions.

The Taoiseach spent time with Trump again today while at the Irish Open, having lunch with the president before the pair went out to watch the golf. 

It is understood that during the lunch they discussed Trump’s golf resort, the Irish Open and the performance of Shane Lowry, as well as investment in the Doonbeg area.

The Taoiseach’s wife, Mary, also attended the lunch.

Later today, the Taoiseach is expected to join Trump for the presentation to the winner of the Irish Open.