The Irish PM wasn’t standing for Trump’s trolling of Keir Starmer and it’s the sort of statesmanship Trump can only dream about
Donald Trump isn’t happy generally, but he’s especially not happy with Keir Starmer after the British PM outright rejected his request to join in with America’s war on Iran.
It still rankles with Trump – oh, how it rankles! – so much so that he was desperate to bring Starmer up again when Irish PM Micheál Martin joined him at the White House for St Patrick’s Day.
And we mention it not because of what Trump had to say, for once, but because of what Martin had to say in response.
Because while Trump wanted on with his Starmer/Churchill comparisons, Martin brought the sort of statesmanship to the occasion that Trump can only dream of. Although we hesitate to imagine the sort of things Trump dreams about.
Run VT!
🚨 WATCH: The Irish PM defends Keir Starmer as Donald Trump repeats he is “not Winston Churchill”
“Starmer has done a lot to reset the Irish-British relationship. I do believe he is a very earnest person who you have a capacity to get on with” pic.twitter.com/f2pg2RvwQu
— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) March 17, 2026
And these people surely said it best.
1.
Micheál Martin – I could not love you more!
Defends Starmer, sets the record straight about Churchill and Ireland..making Trump look petty and uninformed. https://t.co/VLYzJhyBNz— Narinder Kaur (@narindertweets) March 17, 2026
2.
Do you know how bad things have to be for the Irish to be defending a British PM? Lmao https://t.co/jfm2D1xa0b
— Tharries (@TharriesYT) March 17, 2026
3.
In all the tragedy happening in the world, there are moments that make me genuinely happy.
An Irish PM defending the British PM from attacks by the US President, and then turning to show solidarity with Ukraine.
This is European solidarity at its finest.
Honor to the Irish 🇮🇪. https://t.co/QlEz8TMjtq— Elisa Mosini 🇪🇺🇮🇹 (@MosiniElisa) March 17, 2026
4.
Bless this man and his angelic patience! https://t.co/Jg97ME39Sz
— Kate from Kharkiv (@BohuslavskaKate) March 17, 2026
5.
A master mass here from Micheal Martin on how to speak fluently and diplomatically – while also standing up for values, peace and European allies – https://t.co/70csFEBlv9
— Rory Stewart (@RoryStewartUK) March 18, 2026
6.
Everyone rallying to defend Keir Starmer against Trump even though everyone hates him https://t.co/1B4iwQAme2 pic.twitter.com/Z7Fu33eEyS
— Jacob (@LFCJacobb) March 17, 2026
7.
Ireland’s Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, showing admirable clarity and some courage in gently correcting Trump here about Starmer. Thankyou and Happy St. Patrick’s Day. https://t.co/zKqjt4aQPB
— Edward Luce (@EdwardGLuce) March 17, 2026
8.
Glorious.
That was not diplomacy.
That was a polite, surgical reminder that the problem is not Europe’s leaders — it’s Trump’s capacity.And that is what rattles him most.
Not insults.
Composure. Competence. Adults in the room who can humiliate him without even raising their…— AnatolijUkraine (@AnatoliUkraine) March 17, 2026
9.
Martin, sitting in Donald’s house and talking like that is a masterpiece of diplomacy and class
— carlos danger (@lamont1940) March 17, 2026