Consecutive sensitive diplomatic remarks in Ireland... provoking UK displeasure

U.S. President Donald Trump, who is visiting Ireland, once again expressed his support for Northern Ireland's separation from the United Kingdom and unification with Ireland on the 13th (local time). In addition, Scotland added that it would not talk about independence yet, making Britain uncomfortable for the second day in a row.

While visiting the Irish Open golf tournament held at his golf course in Doonbeg, western Ireland, President Trump told reporters, "There is Northern Ireland and there is Ireland, and I think merging the two into one is one of the most natural things to do," reemphasizing remarks he had made in Dublin the previous day.

He added: "I also asked about Scotland, but I'm not going to talk about that yet. I'll save that for later."

Immediately after meeting with Irish Prime Minister Michal Martin in Dublin on the 12th, the first day of his visit to Ireland, and in a speech to diplomats and businessmen held at the residence of the U.S. Embassy in Ireland, President Trump caused a diplomatic stir by making a series of remarks to the effect that "It would be a wonderful thing for Northern Ireland to separate from the United Kingdom."

Whether Northern Ireland should remain in the United Kingdom is a very sensitive issue in both Britain and Ireland, and the United States has remained neutral on the issue for decades.

For this reason, President Trump's remarks, which seemed to break the US policy stance so far, immediately caused a stir and backlash in the UK and Ireland.

The issue of Scottish independence is also considered an extremely sensitive issue for the UK as it is directly related to the dissolution of the British Commonwealth. In Scotland, a referendum on independence was rejected in 2014, but the issue of Scottish independence reignited after Brexit (Britain's withdrawal from the European Union) and continues to be a source of tension between the Scottish self-governing government and the British federal government.

The United Kingdom consists of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.