Dublin Protesters Taunt Donald Trump With Chants and Outrageous Balloons During Ireland Visit

Donald Trump's two-day Ireland visit erupted into controversy as thousands of Dublin protesters took to the streets with hostile chants, cutting banners and provocative Trump-themed inflatables, while the US president sparked a separate political storm by declaring that a united Ireland 'may as well happen now'.

The demonstration began in central Dublin before moving towards the Dáil, with protesters chanting, 'Donald Trump, can you hear? We don't want you here.' Organisers and speakers also focused on Gaza, US foreign policy, immigration and Ireland's military neutrality.

Protesters Turn Up the Heat

The protest produced some particularly blunt verdicts on Trump.

Anne McGuinness, 70, described the president as 'utterly immoral' and said he was 'wrecking the world', while Emily Hamilton's daughter carried a banner reading 'Get rid of the evil orange'.

Mick Brennan, 70, said he and his wife Helen rarely attended demonstrations but made an exception for Trump.

'We can't stand that Trump fella, from his toes to his nose,' Brennan said.

Other protesters used the phrase 'Scarlet for yer ma', adding a distinctly Irish edge to the stream of insults directed at the visiting president.

The visuals were just as provocative. Protesters used Trump caricatures and inflatables, while one placard depicted Trump alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Jeffrey Epstein. The display was a protest image, not evidence of any wrongdoing by the people depicted together.

Trump Says He Saw No Protests

The size of the demonstration made Trump's response particularly striking.

Asked about protests against his visit, he said he had not seen any protests and suggested that if there were a large demonstration, he would probably have noticed it. He also described the protest as 'friendly'.

That claim came as thousands were marching through central Dublin, creating one of the most striking moments of the visit.

A smaller demonstration was also held in Doonbeg, County Clare, near Trump's golf resort, where the president travelled for the Irish Open.

Trump Says United Ireland 'May as Well Happen Now'

Then came the political shock that transformed the trip.

During a meeting with Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Trump was asked about Irish unity and said he would 'love to see' Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland unified.

'I think it's going to happen eventually. It may as well happen now,' Trump said, describing reunification as a 'fantastic' thing and asking, 'How can it be bad?'

The Trump-united-Ireland comments immediately drew criticism from Northern Ireland's unionist politicians and Westminster.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson said Northern Ireland's constitutional future should be decided by its people, not by 'commentary in London, Dublin or Washington'. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused Trump of 'shooting from the hip' and called his remarks deeply unhelpful. Downing Street said its position on a border poll had not changed.

Under the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, any constitutional change must follow the principle of democratic consent. The UK government maintains that the conditions for a referendum on Irish unification have not currently been met.

Trump Doubles Down at Doonbeg

Trump did not leave the controversy behind when he travelled west.

On Sunday, at his Doonbeg resort, he again backed Irish reunification, describing bringing Northern Ireland and the Republic together as one of the 'naturals' and saying he would 'love' to see it happen.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin subsequently said some of the unionist reaction had been an 'overreaction', while making clear that he supports Irish unity but does not believe a referendum would succeed if held immediately.

That gave Trump's intervention a significance beyond the Dublin protests. What began as a provocative question during his Ireland visit became an international political flashpoint involving Dublin, Westminster and Northern Ireland.

For the protesters, however, their message was much simpler. As Trump toured Ireland, thousands had already taken to the streets to make clear that, whatever the politics of Irish unity, they did not want the US president there.