AS THE JOURNAL’s Political Correspondent put it last night, spirits were high within the Irish government on Donald Trump’s parting gift of tariff relief on Irish whiskey. 

It capped a 36-hour visit by the US President that is being seen as a success from the Irish side, with Taoiseach Micheál Martin saying today that he was “very pleased” with how it all went. 

That is the line from the Irish government anyway despite protests against Trump’s visit in both Dublin and Clare. 

That’s Dublin though, how is it being seen by the White House for what was essentially a golfing jolly for president? 

For the people around Trump, his aides and his family, a look at their social media shows this was very much a holiday, with Ireland being portrayed in much the same way that Fáilte Ireland might portray it to Americans.

Much was made of Trump’s flyby over the west coast of Co Clare on Saturday ahead of his arrival at Doonbeg, but those inside the Air Force One had their phones out too to film the coastline.

Dan Scavino, currently White House Deputy Chief of Staff and who during Trump’s first term was often tweeting from Trump’s Twitter account, shared numerous posts himself of Ireland looking its postcard best. 

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A number of Trump’s grandchildren were present with him on the trip. It was apparently the first time in Ireland for three of Donald Trump Jr.’s children, who each got to meet President Cathering Connlly on Saturday. 

Eric Trump, who is no stranger to Ireland due to his involvement with Trump Doonbeg as part of his father’s organisation, was also sharing numerous videos and pictures of the Irish countryside. 

“On behalf of my incredible team at Trump, it is a great honour to host the Irish Open at Trump Doonbeg. There is no more spectacular venue anywhere in Ireland or beyond,” he said on social media at the start of the tournament.  

His wife Lara Trump had also made the trip to Ireland with their two children, with daughter Carolina spotted playing a tin whistle at the hotel yesterday.

Lara shared a video on Instagram of her two children running about on the tarmac at Shannon Airport under the caption: “Sometimes you just have to let them be kids”. 

Trump’s on social media team was busy too, with the US president posting a number of times to Truth Social during his time in Ireland. Much of it was golf-related, with Trump labelling tournament winner Shane Lowry as “a Great Champion, and a fantastic person — A total WINNER.”

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The White House streamed a number of Trump‘s engagements live on Youtube, including his landing at Dublin, his arrival at Áras and Úachtaráin and his 40-minute speech to VIPs at the US Ambassador’s residence in Phoenix Park.  

On the news front, the White House’s ‘rapid response’ X account which seeks to package quick-fire news lines from Trump and respond to media, shared a video of Trump making his declaration that he was removing the tariffs from Irish whiskey.

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Despite it being the major news angle that was covered in the US globally over the past couple of days, Trump’s repeated comments in favour of Irish unity haven’t made their way to any of the White House’s social media accounts, however. 

The comments were being interpreted in various ways since Trump made them, with Taoiseach Micheál Martin saying today that he was not surprised at them because Trump raises the prospect of what he calls a merger “anytime” their pair discuss Northern Ireland. 

“One of the naturals of all time” is how Trump described Irish unity on Sunday. 

While this may be Trump’s own personal belief, if perhaps not a priority for his wider administration, the comments did have the added benefit of perhaps being seen as a dig at UK Prime Minister Any Burnham. 

Burnham himself caused controversy when he declared a fortnight ago that a border poll in Ireland was “off the table” and Downing Street was forced to respond to Trump’s statements on Saturday, saying that there was “no majority” in the north for such a vote.

Despite this, Burnham’s comments have sparked nationalists in Sinn Féin, the SNP and Plaid Cymru to work more closely jointly push for referendums, something coming to fruition today. 

News of this even reached the US, with controversial Florida Congressman Randy Fine, who has previously been accused of Islamophobia posting about the United Kingdom’s future: “I support a four state solution! From the river to the sea, Scotland,Wales, and Ireland will be free!”