Ireland’s former Taoiseach doesn't think it's a good thing for Trump to be re-elected

Leo Varadkar, who resigned as Taoiseach of Ireland in March, has shared his “frank” thoughts on the possible re-election of Donald Trump.

As Taoiseach, Varadkar met with President Trump a number of times both in Ireland and the US.

Speaking with the Irish publication The Journal on Tuesday, June 4, Varadkar said he "can be much more frank" now that he is no longer Taoiseach.

“I don’t think it’s a good thing for America or the world for President Trump to be re-elected," Varadkar, now a TD for Dublin West, told The Journal.

Varadkar said his “biggest worry” is that Trump wouldn’t protect Ukraine and would potentially do a deal with Russia.

He added: “I think if Ukraine didn’t have American support, Europe would struggle to step up to fill that gap.

"And if Ukraine falls under control of the Kremlin, we’re looking at more refugees, more inflation, and of course, 30 million people no longer being able to choose their government." 

March 14, 2018: Donald Trump and Leo Varadkar in The White House ahead of St. Patrick's Day 2018. (RollingNews.ie)

Citing "personal and political reasons," Varadkar made his surprise resignation announcement in Dublin on March 20 after he had spent the previous week in the US, visiting both Boston and Washington, DC for the annual St. Patrick's Day engagements.

He later admitted that while he had been considering resigning for a number of months, he made up his mind over St. Patrick's Day weekend in Washington, DC. 

Varadkar, as well as other Irish politicians who traveled to the US for St. Patrick's Day, faced considerable calls to boycott the annual visit due to Biden's stance on Israel and the war in Gaza. 

Varadkar said he thought it would be a "big mistake" to boycott the events, but did say that he would use the opportunity to to make clear how the Irish people feel about the situation in Gaza. Indeed, Biden agreed with Varadkar when the Taoiseach said "we need a ceasefire as soon as possible."

March 17, 2024: Joe Biden and Leo Varadkar in The White House on St. Patrick's Day. (White House / Adam Schulz)

Regarding Biden and Israel, Varadkar told The Journal this week that he believes the President's heart has "always been in the right place."

He continued: “But I think sometimes people in Ireland buy into this idea that Israel is just a tool of America and America can press the on switch and off switch. It’s much more complicated than that.

"And also, the reality is there can only be a ceasefire when both Hamas and Israeli government agree to it. And neither have agreed to President Biden’s ceasefire plan.

"I hope they do."

Varadkar offered his comments on the US Presidents less than a week after a New York jury found Trump guilty of all 34 charges in a so-called 'hush money' case, making him the first former US president convicted of felony crimes. Trump has since said he intends to appeal the decision.

Setting the stage for a repeat of the 2020 US Presidential election, Trump and Biden are their respective parties' prospective nominees. 

A YouGov survey conducted between June 2 and June 4 found support for the two lead contenders even at 42% each.