The trip by the US president will definitely take place after the summer, to coincide with the Irish Open at Doonbeg, which Mr Trump owns.
The president will be living up to a promise he made in a pre-recorded video for the US Embassy at Dublin’s July 4 celebrations last month, where he described Doonbeg as "one of the best, most beautiful golf courses anywhere in the world.
"I think I’m going to come over and I’m going to see it. We’re going to watch Rory [McIlroy] and all the great players. It will be something very, very special," Mr Trump said.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said last year that Mr Trump had an ‘open invitation’ to visit Ireland in light of the Irish Open.
On a previous visit to Ireland in 2019, Mr Trump spent two days at Doonbeg where he was enthusiastically greeted by locals.
However, one minister warned: "This visit takes place in a very different world.
"In the current security dispensation, there are going to have to be gunboats outside of Doonbeg and air cover. We do not have the resources for that."
Trump International Golf Links & Hotel Doonbeg Ireland, County Clare.
Another minister said: ‘Nothing has been confirmed, but any visit will be centered on the Open. All of his pals, Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau are coming."
Despite the Doonbeg security challenge, one senior Government source said: "It would be great if we could corral him in the southwest but unfortunately he wants to open the Embassy too for his friend Ed [Edward Walsh]. The problem will be: what do we give him to do between events? Where do you put him when he’s off the golf course?"
A concern in Government circles is that Mr Trump may wish to engage in a formal event.
One source said: "Insofar as we can plan, the priority is to keep him as far away from the public, President Connolly and the Dáil as possible."
A minister added: "We can’t be putting him in College Green like Obama or Clinton; no one would turn up, or alternatively there would be a riot."
Ireland's President Catherine Connolly.
The second priority is to avoid a Dáil address, a senior source noted, saying: ‘We don’t want him ballyhooing away for two or three hours or creating any opportunity for political game-playing to the Social Democrats or the socialists. Sinn Féin are not expected to pose a problem given the scale of fundraising they engage in, in America.’
The preferred prototype is believed to be like the George W Bush visit in 2004 where, in the midst of growing fury over the Iraq invasion, he attended the US-EU summit in Dromoland Castle, Co. Clare. It was a low-key affair where he met then-Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, stayed for one night and left the next day.
One Government source said: "That would be the ideal, one night’s bed and breakfast and then out with thousands of protesters ten miles away waving their placards. ‘We are still essentially planning to follow the UK’s precedent, which was to create a special exclusive event which kept Trump away from the House of Commons."
Initial planning envisages a Dublin Castle special event, with one source saying: "There’s lots of gold trim and banners and history: just the sort of thing he likes, maybe a couple of golfers, his friend Bryson DeChambeau and then cross our fingers and hope Catherine Connolly doesn’t decide to speak truth to power."
One senior minister conceded: ~"There is on one level no way to accurately plan for Trump."
They added: "It’s more a case of dealing with it hour by hour and hoping he doesn’t declare war on anyone."
Concerns are also high over the security challenges posed by a Trump visit on a Garda force which is at full capacity trying to deal with the EU presidency.
One minister said: ‘There are genuine concerns: The Gardaí are stretched to full capacity with the presidency; a week of nationwide riots over Trump is the last thing we need.
"If there are riots we have no place to put the rioters."
Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín also raised the security issue. "If there are disturbances and arrests, where will the perpetrators go given that the prisons are a thousand prisoners over capacity" he asked.
Concern is also high in the Government over how "we may handle the Catherine Connolly issue"
The relationship got off to an unfortunate start with a misgendering debacle after Mr Trump, responding to criticism of his views by Ms Connolly, said at the White House St Patrick’s Day event: "Look, he’s lucky I exist, that’s all I can say."
The Taoiseach did not correct the President’s gender mistake. President Connolly has also criticized the Trump regime’s imperialism and warned: "I think every person in the country has a trust problem with America."
In a Prime Time Presidential debate, Ms Connolly said of meeting Mr Trump: "If it’s just a meet and greet, then I will meet and greet. If the discussion is genocide [in Gaza], then that’s a completely different thing."
One diplomatic source said: "If they do have to meet it will have to be like one of those silent movies. The prospect of Ms Connolly speaking truth to power or as a teachable opportunity is already causing jitters in Iveagh House."
Responding to queries from the Irish Daily Mail, a spokesman for Ms Connolly said that should a Trump visit take place, "the President will consider any request she receives".
* This article was originally published on Extra.ie.
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