Trump's whirlwind Ireland visit will mix diplomacy, protests and golf

President Donald Trump touches down in Dublin on Saturday, September 12, kicking off a whirlwind trip that mixes high-level diplomacy with a weekend at his County Clare golf course. The visit, his first to Ireland since Catherine Connolly became president, is expected to draw large crowds both welcoming and protesting his arrival.

Saturday, September 12

President Trump is due to land at Dublin Airport on Saturday morning, where he will be greeted on the runway by Tánaiste (Deputy Leader) Simon Harris rather than the Taoiseach, in keeping with protocol for a visit that has not been classified as an official state visit. From there, he is expected to board Marine One for the short flight to Phoenix Park, bypassing Dublin city center entirely amid concerns about protests and the crowds gathered for the annual Liffey Swim.

Once in the park, Trump is expected to pay a brief courtesy call on President Catherine Connolly at Áras an Uachtaráin, a meeting reportedly set to last around 30 minutes.

President of Ireland Catherine Connolly.

He will then travel a short distance to Farmleigh House for a longer bilateral meeting with Taoiseach Micheál Martin, after which the two leaders are expected to issue a joint statement.

Trade and investment are likely to dominate the Martin meeting. Ireland hosts dozens of major American multinationals, and Martin has repeatedly stressed how much both economies rely on that relationship, along with growing interest in artificial intelligence investment.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin and President Donald Trump photographed in Washington, in March 2026.

Trump may also stop by the site of the new US embassy in Ballsbridge, where reports suggest he could take part in a ceremonial sod-turning alongside US Ambassador Edward Walsh.

By early afternoon, Trump is expected to board a helicopter for the flight to County Clare, where he will spend two nights at his Trump International Golf Links resort in Doonbeg, the host venue for this year's Irish Open.

Trump International Golf Links resort, Doonbeg, in County Clare.

Sunday, September 13

Sunday will be devoted largely to golf. Trump is expected to watch the tournament's final round and present the trophy to the winning player on Sunday evening, according to Taoiseach Martin, who said the president had made clear he was keen to attend. Trump's sons, Eric and Don Jr, are also expected at Doonbeg, though they will not travel with the presidential delegation. First Lady Melania Trump will not make the trip, her office confirmed, continuing a pattern of limited public appearances during her husband's second term.

Trump is scheduled to leave Ireland on Sunday night or early Monday morning, flying home aboard the Boeing 747 gifted to the United States by Qatar. It will be the jet's first international outing since a security scare in July forced Trump to swap planes secretly while leaving Turkey, and its use for the Ireland trip has again raised questions in Washington about the aircraft's defenses.

Politicians split, protests planned

Speaking to reporters in Dublin, the Taoiseach said he has no concerns at all about what might arise when Trump meets Connolly, adding that the relationship between Ireland and the US matters enormously for jobs and investment on both sides of the Atlantic, according to The Irish Times.

Not everyone in Irish politics agrees. Labour's Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, a member of the European Parliament for Dublin, said in a video statement that Donald Trump is not welcome in Dublin, citing the administration's record on the war in Iran and its strained relationship with the European Union.

People Before Profit's Richard Boyd Barrett and Paul Murphy have gone further, branding Trump an imperialist warmonger and urging the public to join demonstrations, according to RTÉ.

Others have focused on the diplomatic tightrope facing Connolly, a long-standing critic of US foreign policy and an outspoken supporter of Palestinian rights. Murphy said Connolly has no choice but to meet Trump given commitments she made during her election campaign, but predicted she would raise Gaza with him regardless. Zoe Lawlor, chair of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, went further, arguing that Ireland should not be engaging with Trump at all while the United States remains what she called an active partner in Israel's genocide.

Labour senator Nessa Cosgrove described the security operation around the visit as a security nightmare, telling TIME she hopes Trump takes time to understand why so many people are angry, pointing to rising fuel prices and the treatment of Palestinians.

On the streets, opposition looks set to be loud. A coalition of groups, including the Irish Neutrality League, the Irish Anti-War Movement, ROSA and United Against Racism, plans a Dublin demonstration called No Welcome for Trump, starting at the Garden of Remembrance at 1pm on Saturday. Organizer Sara O'Rourke told The Irish Times the group is planning a big, safe event that will stay family-friendly and peaceful. Further protests are expected in Shannon and near the Doonbeg resort itself. Trump's last visit to Ireland in 2019 drew thousands of demonstrators to Dublin's streets, along with an appearance from the inflatable Trump baby blimp, and organizers expect similarly large numbers this time.

With security tight, Trump's movements will be largely confined to Phoenix Park and Doonbeg. This weekend's visit looks set to be one of the most heavily guarded and most debated in the history of US presidential trips to Ireland.