Trump says Irish unification would be ‘fantastic,’ will happen ‘eventually’

US President Donald Trump said Saturday he would 'love to see' a united Ireland, calling reunification 'a fantastic thing' and stating it will happen 'eventually.' The comments came during a two-day visit to Ireland that blurs the lines between his presidency and personal business interests. After meeting Ireland's Prime Minister Micheal Martin in Dublin, Trump told reporters, 'It's going to happen eventually. It may as well happen now,' adding that 'the UK will have something to say about it, obviously.' The island has been split between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland since 1921. Under the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, a referendum can be held if the UK government determines a majority is likely to favor joining the Republic. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham insisted last month that a unity referendum was 'off the table.' Thousands of protesters waving Palestinian flags rallied in Dublin, chanting 'Donald Trump's not welcome here.' Irish President Catherine Connolly, an outspoken critic, said she conveyed 'the strong view of the Irish people that the normalization of war and genocide can never be accepted.' Trump also attended the Irish Open golf tournament at his Trump Organization-owned course in Doonbeg.