TRANSCRIPT: President Trump Attends a Shamrock Bowl Presentation at the White House, 3.17.26
[Video]
President Trump: Well, thank you very much, everybody. It's an honor to have you. And we witnessed, I think you witnessed too, the Gardner brothers. Where the hell are they? They can dance. They move those legs. I never saw anything like it. But they were terrific today at the Capitol and I know you just got to witness them.
So -- but it's really wonderful being with you. We have a lot of things happening. It's my -- I spent my whole day with the Irish. And I should have been spending it with the Iranians but that's not -- that's, you know, in a different sense. We're doing very well, I will say. We're knocking them for a loop.
They can't have a nuclear weapon and they now understand that very strongly. But, uh, we have a great country and we have an unbelievable military. We have the most powerful military in the world and people see that. I rebuilt it in my first term and I didn't know I'd have to use it so much in my second term.
But these -- the men and women of our military, I pay them my highest love and compliments. Thank you very much. I'm delighted to welcome everyone to the beautiful White House. There's just no place like it, right? No place like it. And we have a beautiful addition that's going to be added on very soon. You probably hear about.
In fact, see that beautiful curtain right there, that gold curtain, that's going to be -- it's like a knockout panel behind that curtain. And you'd be looking into a deep foundation, very, very deep into the ground, right there. And then next time you come back, maybe the next two times, OK, maybe not for next time, but by the second time, uh, you're going to see one of the most beautiful ballrooms anywhere in the world.
You know, they've always -- they've always wanted -- they've always wanted a ballroom at the White House, all the presidents for 150 years, they say, or more. And they never had -- this is a beautiful room, but this is very small for -- you know, when you think about state dinners and the things that we do. So they put out a tent on the lawn and if it rained, it was a problem.
It was a -- it was a nasty problem. But, uh, it's a lot of work going on here. The pile drivers going. And, uh, to me, I love the sound of those pile drivers. My wife doesn't love it too much in the morning. She said, will they ever stop? I said, yeah, another few months. But, uh, it was, uh, it's really something that's going on right over there.
It's going to be a beautiful addition to the White House after 150 years. But on this special day, we gather here to celebrate an incredible feat of friendship between Ireland and the wonderful place that we call the United States. We call it America, a lot of -- lot of good names. But, uh, it's a great place and it's doing really well.
We've never done better. We took a little bit of a journey, a little bit of an excursion over the last two weeks because we thought we had to do something about very bad people that want to have nuclear weapons. We can't allow that. They would have had it. If we didn't send the B-2 bombers in, they would have had it, uh, seven months ago, a couple of weeks after that and we can't let that happen.
So we did a little excursion and it's -- we're way ahead of schedule, as you probably noticed. And we've had, uh -- there's no -- we knocked out their navy, their air force, their anti-aircraft equipment, their radar and their leaders. It's been, uh, it's been amazing militarily, but it's something that had to be done, unfortunately, I say.
We don't do it with glee. But, uh, we've had a great country that's 250. We're celebrating our 250th year and continuing the custom that began with President Truman. We're delighted to host the Taoiseach, who is a great gentleman of Ireland. Along with someone who's much, much more important, his wife, Mary.
That's a lovely woman. So thank you very much. Thank you for being here. It's an honor. While the Taoiseach is far from Emerald Isle, he should feel very much at home here in America because so many things have happened that are Irish. But it's often said that we have five times as many Irish in our beautiful country then you have on, uh, on your wonderful island.
I mean, that's -- that's a pretty -- that's a pretty big statement, but they love, they love you and I think, uh, I won't say their first love. Hopefully it's a close second, but they do love and Saint Patrick's Day we're here and it's very, very special. It's always been a special time. Even for me, it's been a special time.
I feel like I have Irish blood. I'm not too far. I have Scottish blood. Is that good or bad? [Laughter] I don't know, I don't know, I'm not sure. But uh, today's celebration. We're also joined by Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, Emma Little-Pengelly, and I want to just -- where is Emma? Thank you very much.
It's such an honor. It's such an honor. Thank you. We met at the Capitol and I said, uh, the relationship is very good. That's good much better that way, right, than the old days -- the old days. But, uh, it was really an honor to meet with you. Thank you very much and thanks as well to members of my cabinet including two Irish-American secretaries, Sean Duffy and Linda McMahon.
Where are they? Hi, Sean. Where's Linda? Hi, Linda. They've done an incredible job. Transportation and education and it's sort of, uh, they merged because Linda's moving everybody back to the states. [Laughter] So you have to use the term, we're moving our education back to the states where they belong and you have been unbelievable both of you.
Thank you very well and another unbelievable person is Attorney General Pam Bondi, my friend. Where are you, Pam? Where are you? Thank you. Thank you, Pam. Secretary of Energy, that's a big one nowadays, Chris Wright. Chris, thank you. Thank you, Chris. Thank you. And Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-Deremer.
Thank you. Lori? Thank you, Lori. US Trade Representative Jamison Greer. Jamison, we have a $40 billion deficit with Ireland, $40 billion. We got to do something about -- where's Jamison, OK please. [Laughter] I'm looking at the little notes and I'm looking -- you know, Bob, Bob, Bob, I'm hearing all of the accomplishments of -- of your great leader, but then I saw the deficit.
It's $42 billion, so they're going to have to buy a lot of our energy, I think, OK? [Laughter] To -- to make up with that. and Administrator Kelly Loeffler, who is great small business, but small business is big business. I'll tell you when you add it all up, we're also joined with some incredible friends of mine and very, very powerful but very great people.
Speaker, Mike Johnson. Wherever you may be, Mike/ And Senator Markwayne Mullin who maybe is going to be moving over to a little bit of a different position soon. Markwayne, where are you? Nobody wants to fight. He's a tough cookie Markwayne, he was a professional fighter. He was -- he's a brutal human being. [Laughter] But -- but he's great now.
Everyone loves him and we respect him. Also Representatives Steve Scalise, Brian Steil, Andy Biggs, Pat Fallon, Riley Moore, Ronny Jackson, White House doctor, former White House doctor. I'll never forget, they said who's the healthiest President because he covered Obama. He covered -- he covered some others.
I don't want to say who, but and Trump, he said by far Trump. There's nobody even close. He said by far took a little heat for that, but that was OK. Where's Ronny? Where are you, Ronny? Doc Ronny? Whenever I have a -- hi, Ronny. Whenever I have a problem, I call Ronny and he works it out, you know. He's a great guy and he's done a good job, Mr. Speaker, as a Congressman, right?
He's been good. And Rich McCormick and John McGuire and Beth Van Duyne, all friends of mine. all warriors and we have a lot of big things coming up. The biggest thing coming up is the SAVE America Act in the Senate. That's, uh, voter ID and proof of citizenship and no mail-in ballots, you know, corrupt mail-in ballots were the only country in the world that does it that way.
Corrupt as hell and then we added two more we're going to be -- I think they're going to be adding a couple of more. One is no men in women's sports, that seems like an easy one. I believe that's 99 percent and no transgender utilization of our children. None. That's only polling at 98 percent, Speaker. So hopefully the Senate is going to be able to get that.
You can't ask for five better things. I think in terms of, uh, and it's not politics, it's really good for -- it's so good for our nation. I mean, who would not have voter ID who would not have a proof of citizenship and, uh, the only people who would want not to have that are people that want to cheat. It's very, very simple.
We can't let that happen. Some 1,600 years ago, the man who would become the patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick. Have you ever heard of Saint Patrick? Voluntarily returned to Ireland after having escaped enslavement there and then spent 30 years carrying the Christian gospel, the Gaelic tribes. You know the Gaelic tribes?
Everybody here knows about that. I don't, but that's OK. [Laughter] Because of -- is that Kelly in the audience? Do I see Kelly? Oh, hi, Kelly. We had good time for lunch today. It's the wife of a man who's extremely Italian that I thought he was a WASP. Our speaker of the House is very, very Italian and I thought I always thought he was a super WASP actually. [Laughter] But because of Patrick, Ireland is now known as the land of saints and scholars for thousands of years.
Christians everywhere have honored Saint Patrick and the legacy March 17th. And today we remember his incredible deeds as we celebrate our cherished Irish American heritage and it's a great heritage at that. From the very beginning, America has thrived and prospered and prevailed with the help of incredible people.
The achievements are amazing. The amazing Irish American patriots and many of you are in the room. You know, these are very successful people in the room. I know a lot of them, they have a lot of cash. [Laughter] They've made a lot of money, they got a lot of natural business instinct. Unfortunately it's not easy dealing with the Irish is never easy.
They are really amazing. The Irish came with William Penn to settle in Pennsylvania. They traveled with Daniel Boone, the great Daniel Boone to tame Kentucky and, uh, they -- in 1776 was a man from Cork -- Cork fighting in the Continental Army who became the first person ever known as the phrase the United States -- the came up with the phrase The United States of America, that's a pretty good phrase.
And Americans of Irish Heritage gave us the steamboat, the modern submarine, the model-T automobile and many, many other things. They designed the White House, that I didn't know, the Empire State Building, that I didn't know, and the New York City subway system, which is, uh, when it's operated properly, the best in the world. [Laughter] It's actually quite amazing, but people sort of have lost sight of that.
They gave us the works who really have great geniuses, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Flannery, O'Connor and the late great William F. Buckley who was a great guy and they gave us heroes like Apollo 11 astronaut, Michael Collins, really fantastic man. I want to thank the Taoiseach for all of the things and all of those Irish friends that he brought to the room with him.
A lot of these are your great friends and accords to increase and coordinate our space and all of the space program we have so much involvement together. It's -- you know, Ireland is sitting in a very good location in terms of the shot. So he has a lot to negotiate with, but the United States will soon return to the moon.
We think it's going to be quite soon and then we'll lead the world to Mars. It's something that, I guess, a lot of people want. Some people say it's a lot of money and other people say it's progress and we should be doing it in every part of American life, we find Irish Americans who embody the best of our country and point us toward excellence and great success.
And nobody has had, I would, say as a group more success than people from Ireland. One of them is famed chef Patrick O'Connell, founder of the world renowned Inn at Little Washington, one of the few American restaurants in history ever to receive three Michelin stars. In 2019, I was honored to award Patrick the National Humanities Medal and he's here today and he's the proud son of Dublin and Galway.
So where's -- where are you here? Let's see. Come on. Come over here. I want to -- I want to see what you look like. I want to see if you've -- I want to see if you've changed, Patrick. Come on up here. Come on up here. Oh, look at -- he's a good looking guy. Yeah, you haven't changed much, huh? And you -- and you love this place, don't you?
Good, nice to see you. Thank you very much. Oh, I didn't know he was coming up, but that's OK. Come on, stay with us. Stay with us, Patrick. That was nice. That's -- usually a politician does that. You know? That was pretty good. Thank you, Patrick.
Good job. That's an amazing job. Also with us is a great Irish-born scholar of American history, Dr. Os Guinness, who has written more than a dozen books on the American founding, God's Blessing of America and The Needs to save Western Civilization. So, uh, Dr. Os, where are you? Where are you? This is a different Dr. Os. We have another Dr. Os that we know, that we know very well.
He's here someplace. Yes, how are you? Ah, how are you? Boy, you look nice in the corner, picked a nice spot. Thank you very much. Congratulations. That's a great career. And his great, great, great grandfather was the famous brewer from Dublin, Arthur Guinness and creator of Ireland's most famous export.
His family helped build Ireland and now Os reminds us of the values and principles that built America. So thank you very much. It's a great honor, nice to see you. Great. And from the banks of the Chicago River to the streets of South Bend, Indiana, we know what that is, good football and good college, good school.
From the steeples of Savannah, Georgia, all the way to the Oval Office. That beautiful Oval Office. Has anybody been in the Oval Office? I know the speaker of the House has, too much, right, Mike? Too much, that's right. And, uh, by the way, a friend of mine, who I just see here is your ambassador to Ireland, is, uh, his name is Walshy.
We call him Walshy. His name is Walsh, and he's a great golfer. And I would think that that's got to be the greatest ambassadorship in history. You're a golfer. He loves golf. He's really good at it. And he's the ambassador to Ireland. You can't do better than that, right? You can't do better than that. But, uh, oh -- came all the way from the Washington, DC area.
Irish Americans have left an indelible mark on American history and they're fighters and thinkers and doers and winners. And for 250 years, and that's what we have now, we have the Olympics coming up. We have the World Cup coming up and I tried to -- I did take credit for those two. I tried to add in 250, but that didn't work out too well.
You know? Because in my first term, I got the Olympics. In my first term, I got the World Cup. And then I said, I wonder if anybody would notice if I said I got the 250 years. And I had calls from, like, Mike, you called me, you said I'm not allowed to take that one, right? But we have an amazing celebration this year coming up 250 years.
America has truly been blessed by the luck of the Irish. So once again, let me say thank you to everybody. Happy Saint Patrick's Day. You are really, really fantastic people and I want to do something having to do with a thing called the Shamrock Bowl. Does anybody know it? I'll ask my very dear friend, and he is a friend, to come up and say a few words. Thank you very much.
Micheál Martin: President Trump, distinguished guests, I am profoundly honored to be here celebrating Saint Patrick's Day at the White House once again. And I'm delighted that we're joined by our great friend, Ambassador Ed Walsh. He is doing a fantastic job in Ireland for you, Mr. President.
Trump: That's right.
Martin: Everyone loves him. And we're also joined by our wonderful ambassador to the United States, Geraldine Byrne-Nason. Um, Geraldine, we are very, very proud of you and the work that you're doing. I'm also delighted to be joined by so many cabinet members. And if I may, I wish to pay particular tribute to Transport Secretary Sean Duffy, who was honored last night at the Ireland Funds Gala.
Distinguished guests, the Shamrock ceremony is always a uniquely special moment. It is a symbol of friendship, a friendship between our peoples which is older than our republics. But this year, it is especially, um -- it is a special one. 250 years ago, the people of the United States inspired the world with their determination to build a nation on the timeless ideals of liberty, democracy and equality.
For Irish people both here and back home, these were noble ideals to which they rallied to in incredible numbers. Over a quarter of Washington's continental army were Irish among the brave and visionary leaders who signed the Declaration of Independence. Three were born on the island of Ireland and many others were of Irish descent.
When they had finished their historic work on that warm clear Philadelphia day, the text was rushed into the hands of another Irishman, John Dunlap, who printed the very first copies of the declaration, which was spread across the world. And in those early years of this new republic, Irish people were active in many more ways.
Dairyman Charles Thompson designed the Great Seal of the United States, showing the bald eagle with its head turned towards the olive branch of peace. James Hoban, born in County Kilkenny, who designed this beautiful White House. Even the very term, as the President has said, United States of America was first used in writing by an Irishman, Stephen Moylan, from my own county of Cork.
Corkonians are notorious for their vision. He was -- he was an aide de camp to George Washington and used the phrase in a letter dated the 2nd of January 1776. Mr. President, the revolution that gave birth to this United States was a flare that lit up the world. It inspired those in Ireland who dreamed of our own republic.
It gave strength to all who believed in the self-evident truths of your Declaration of Independence, that all of us, wherever we are in the world are created equal with rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, that governments are created and draw their powers from the consent of the governed and that it is our duty as leaders to secure the safety and happiness of the people, that it is the people, those who are governed who hold the power.
Mr. President, I know that you have designated this as a year to celebrate the Declaration of Independence and the foundation of this republic. As we mark 250 years of these remarkable United States of America, let those revolutionary ideals shine as brightly today as they ever did. Irish people were there when they were authored and they remain a great source of pride and inspiration to the 35 million Americans of Irish descent.
Let them continue to inspire and to sustain those who today yearn for peace, justice and freedom. Let the USA always be that beacon on the hill, holding firm to those founding values, resolute and constant. And let Ireland and the United States continue to work together to defend them and to build a better world, one that is free, secure and at peace.
Mr. President, no fewer than 23 people of Irish descent have become American presidents, millions more shaped their communities, their cities and their country, building an endlessly dynamic, innovative and resilient nation. From the very beginning, what you, Mr. President, have described as the strength warmth, grit and grace of the Irish people has strengthened and enriched this union.
It is that grit and grace that marks every aspect of our relationship today. It is what characterized the decades-long US investment in peace and reconciliation on the island of Ireland. Some of those who gave their time, resources, political capital and commitment to help transform our island are in this room today.
You have my deepest gratitude. Ireland is now an island at peace, a place where politics, persuasion and advocacy have taken the place of violence to achieve our aspirations. There is plenty of grit and grace in the economic relationship too. The US has long been Ireland's largest investment partner. In Ireland, American companies thrive, innovate and gain access to European Union and international markets, but that investment increasingly goes both ways.
Ireland is the fifth largest source of foreign direct investment into the US with investment by Irish companies valued at $390 billion, not bad for a country of just 5.5 million people. Irish -- Irish companies have so many, 737s on order that it would take the Boeing factory in Washington almost an entire year of working solely on Irish orders to deliver them all.
It's true. Every day -- every day hundreds of thousands of American men and women go to work in hundreds of Irish owned companies across the 50 states of the union. Irish investment is central to making the critical materials for American infrastructure and housing, the food that is served on American tables each night using produce from American farmers, the infrastructure that powers the AI revolution.
The United States is the largest economy in the world. Ireland is small. We need free and open trade to make our way in the world and we like to see as few barriers and tariffs get in the way of that as possible. Like other small countries, we see international rules and order including the United Nations as essential to our peace and security and to that of the world.
Our own recent history has convinced us that dialogue, negotiation and de-escalation are the ways to make progress and we especially want to see progress and peace in the Middle East as I know you do. And we also need a just and sustainable peace in Ukraine. Too many people are dying as a result of conflict across the world and we owe it to them all to create a better future.
Mr. President, distinguished guests, the relationship between the United States and Ireland is deep and enduring. It will always be special. We are in each other's DNA and the founding ideals of our states and the values which secured our sovereignty. It is hard to imagine the United States without the contribution of the Irish and Ireland without the friendship of the United States.
Today, I will present this Bowl of Shamrock in memory of all the brave Irish men and Irish women who came here and who believed in the American promise of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. In tribute to all that, they contributed and built here and in celebration of all that we will do and achieve together in the next 250 years.
[? AI Transcript] Gorum míle maith agaibh. Beannachtaí na féile Pádraig oraibh go léir. [? AI Translation: "Thank you very much. Happy St. Patrick's Day to you all."] Thank you very much and Happy Saint Patrick's Day to you all.
Trump: I'm going to take it with me, brings you a lot of love. Thank you very much. Thank you everybody. Thank you very much. Thank you. No, please.
Martin: My son and daughter-in-law. We come to meet them down here.