Mattie McGrath Urges Caution, Calls to Rebuild US-Ireland Ties
Mattie McGrath spoke about US-Ireland relations and European military spending, urging caution and calling to rebuild bridges with President Trump, Republican figures and the Irish diaspora. He recounted meetings at the White House and on Capitol Hill and warned that Ireland should be mindful of comments while engaging with US business and lobby groups.
He said he was not as enthusiastic as others about dispensing on our European military and questioned claims it might help with illegal migrants, adding "possibly, but I live in hope." He urged a cautious approach rather than wholehearted endorsement.
He described meetings in Washington, saying he was "in the White House, thankfully, for the Sharmouth presentation," and that he met AFK, Pam Bondi the Attorney General, several congressmen on Capitol Hill, and referenced Vice President Vance. He presented these encounters as part of a unique situation for Ireland.
He emphasised the importance of the Irish diaspora and said he met many business people and business groups, including representatives from Chambers Ireland. He warned Ireland "could be damaged here with the tariffs" and described a "fierce lobby" within the Republican Party and business circles.
He called for mending bridges and for respectful language about President Trump, saying the President is "duly elected" and entitled to respect. He warned against derogatory interventions at election time and urged colleagues to be mindful of comments.
He urged careful bridge-building and maintaining relationships with the Irish diaspora, stressing the need to work together and to be cautious in public remarks. He concluded the remarks with a brief farewell, saying "Good morning. Good morning."
Stance on European military spending
He said he was not as enthusiastic as others about dispensing on our European military and questioned claims it might help with illegal migrants, adding "possibly, but I live in hope." He urged a cautious approach rather than wholehearted endorsement.
Engagement with US political figures
He described meetings in Washington, saying he was "in the White House, thankfully, for the Sharmouth presentation," and that he met AFK, Pam Bondi the Attorney General, several congressmen on Capitol Hill, and referenced Vice President Vance. He presented these encounters as part of a unique situation for Ireland.
Diaspora and business concerns
He emphasised the importance of the Irish diaspora and said he met many business people and business groups, including representatives from Chambers Ireland. He warned Ireland "could be damaged here with the tariffs" and described a "fierce lobby" within the Republican Party and business circles.
Tone toward the US President
He called for mending bridges and for respectful language about President Trump, saying the President is "duly elected" and entitled to respect. He warned against derogatory interventions at election time and urged colleagues to be mindful of comments.
Closing remarks
He urged careful bridge-building and maintaining relationships with the Irish diaspora, stressing the need to work together and to be cautious in public remarks. He concluded the remarks with a brief farewell, saying "Good morning. Good morning."
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Transcript
Look, I am not as enthusiastic about some people about dispending on our European military. Because some people have said that it might help, or yourself, that it may help with our situation regarding illegal migrants and all in here. Possibly, but I live in hope. I want to say we need to build relations with the President Trump and indeed the Republican Party and Vice President Vance and the Irish diaspora. I was in the White House, thankfully, for the Sharmouth presentation. I met with many, like AFK and indeed Pam Bondi, the Attorney General, and several other congressmen who I met in Congress on Capitol Hill. And there is that unique situation for Ireland. So we need to play cautious. We don't need to have people like now Tosh to Harris, his idiot-like intervention at the time of the election. But we need to mend bridges and we need to keep our Irish diaspora on board as well. And there is that willingness and huge affection and huge support and concern as well by them. I met many of the business people and business groups that, you know, the Ireland could be damaged here with the tariffs and everything else. So there is a fair lobby, a fierce lobby, I can tell you, within the Republican Party and within business circles and the Chambers and all. And Chambers Ireland were over there, a good few of them were over there, I met them as well. So we need to work together in that, the call of the Cail and we need to be mindful of our comments here and respect the fact that he is President Trump. Not this House, everybody calling him Trump, Trump. We wouldn't like it if that was happening to our teacher here. He's the duly elected President of the United States, so he's entitled to that and we're entitled to, time to, I don't want to say that I'm a sergeant, but I'd be careful, be on and try and build these bridges and maintain that wonderful relationship with our Irish diaspora as well. We'll be right back. Good morning. Good morning.