President Donald Trump expressed strong support for a unified Ireland during a visit to Dublin on Saturday, telling reporters he would "love to see it unified" and that the change "is going to happen eventually."

Trump made the remarks after meeting with Taoiseach Micheál Martin at Farmleigh House. He described the prospect as "a fantastic thing" and "a great feather in everybody’s cap," while noting that the United Kingdom would have a say in the matter. "I have friends on both sides, great people," Trump said. "How can it be bad?"

The comments came as Trump began a two-day trip focused on meetings with Irish officials and attendance at a golf tournament at his resort in Doonbeg. He also met with President Catherine Connolly earlier in the day during a formal arrival ceremony at Áras an Uachtaráin.

The statements contrast with recent remarks from British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who has indicated that a referendum on Northern Ireland leaving the United Kingdom remains off the table. Unionist leaders in Northern Ireland quickly rejected Trump’s position.

Trump’s visit occurs against the backdrop of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which ended decades of violence and allows for a future referendum on Irish unity if a majority appears likely to support it. The president’s remarks highlight his personal affinity for Ireland, where he maintains business interests.

Irish officials downplayed any potential tensions, focusing instead on the broader U.S.-Ireland relationship during the brief stop.