Ireland's announcement on Wednesday that it will formally recognize the State of Palestine has some wondering about the implications on its relationship with the US, which is against "unilateral recognition."
Daniel Mulhall, Ireland's former Ambassador to the US, said on Wednesday evening that he doubts the US would skip the annual St. Patrick's Day visit from the Taoiseach in response to Ireland's recognition of Palestine.
He explained: "If it’s Biden, his sentimental attachment to his Irish heritage will win out. If Trump, he will know that Irish American votes had helped put him back in the WH [White House] and he will not want to alienate them."
I doubt that the US will do that. It’s 10 months away. If it’s Biden, his sentimental attachment to his Irish heritage will win out. If Trump, he will know that Irish American votes had helped put him back in the WH and he will not want to alienate them. https://t.co/baMxbdxSBC
— Daniel Mulhall (@DanMulhall) May 22, 2024
Mulhall was responding to comments made by Mick Mulvaney, who became the US Special Envoy to Northern Ireland after serving as President Donald Trump's Chief of Staff from January 2019 through March 2020. Mulvaney announced his resignation as Envoy on January 7, 2021, the day after the riot at the US Capitol.
On Wednesday, Mulvaney said on Irish radio program The Hard Shoulder: "It's going to be a very interesting St. Paddy's Day meeting in the White House, I think, next year."
Mulvaney said on Wednesday that he thought Trump and his team would be reacting "not very positively" to Ireland, Norway, and Spain's recognition of the State of Palestine.
He continued: "I'm not going to be Chief of Staff for the President of the United States if Trump wins, so this is purely hypothetical.
"But if I were sitting there - and I'm a big fan of Ireland, I served as the Special Envoy to Northern Ireland, I have close relationships in all of the parties in your government - but you have to return symbolism for symbolism.
"There would be a conversation in the West Wing next year, if I were Chief of Staff for Donald Trump, saying, 'You know what, Mr. President, we might have to skip the Taoiseach meeting this year, we might have to skip the lunch with the Speaker of the House.'"
Mulvaney acknowledged that skipping or canceling the St. Patrick's Day events in Washington, DC is "a big deal, but that's how big of a deal this is."
He continued: "We have to match symbolism for symbolism and right now the biggest symbol we can send you folks [Ireland] is canceling those meetings.
"Granted, that's several months off, almost a year away now, but that's the gravity, I think, of how this is being received in Washington, DC today."
March 15, 2024: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar with US President Joe Biden in The White House as part of the annual St. Patrick's Day visit. (Getty Images)
Now Chair of Actum Global Consultants, Mulvaney said his reaction to Ireland's announcement on Wednesday was "someplace between mild shock and outrage," calling it "very, very strange."
He also said that the US Government's response was "very muted" which led him to believe that it "caught them by surprise."
He did, however, acknowledge that he is no longer in government so he doesn't "have the inside information there."
He continued: "I know there's a lot of elected politicians in both parties here in Washington where I am today scratching their heads over just what the heck happened."
He estimated that "90% of the Republican Party and 75% of the Democratic Party" will perceive Ireland, Norway, and Spain's announcement on Wednesday as "a recognition of Hamas."
He continued: "It's going to be perceived as a reward to Hamas for October 7. That this would not have happened but for October 7 and the Israeli response and that therefore it's going to be perceived as a good thing for Hamas."
Mick Mulvaney in Dublin in 2020. (RollingNews.ie)
Earlier on Wednesday, the Irish Government said it made its announcement on the same day as Spain and Norway "following months of consultation with like-minded countries across Europe and the Middle East."
The Taoiseach said on Wednesday morning: "We had hoped to recognize Palestine as part of a two-state peace deal but instead we recognize Palestine to keep the hope of that two-state solution alive."
He added that Ireland is "hopeful others will do the same in the next wave.”
During a White House press briefing later on Wednesday, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan fielded questions about Ireland, Norway, and Spain's announcement.
“Each country is entitled to make its own determinations, but the US position on this is clear," Sullivan said when asked if the announcement is "the tip of the iceberg."
He continued: "President Biden has been on the record as supporting a two-state solution, he has been equally emphatic on the record that that two-state solution should be brought about through direct negotiations through the parties, not through unilateral recognition.
“That’s a principle position that we have held on a consistent basis.
“We’ll communicate that to our partners around the world and see what unfolds.”
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