Trump turns to golf, family business on Irish visit's second day

Donald Trump turned his focus Sunday to golf and promoting his business interests, as he wraps up a two-day visit to Ireland during which his off-the-cuff diplomacy has caused another stir. The US president caught his Irish hosts and the neighbouring UK off-guard Saturday when he waded into highly sensitive political territory by announcing he would “love to see” a united Ireland. Breaking with Washington’s traditional neutrality on the historically charged topic, Trump argued reunification of the Republic of Ireland and UK territory Northern Ireland — after more than a century apart — was “going to happen eventually”. “It may as well happen now,” he ventured as he met Irish prime minister Micheál Martin in Dublin, prompting pushback from pro-UK loyalists in Northern Ireland and some leading politicians in mainland Britain.

“Donald Trump is Donald Trump and the president will say and speak his mind as he sees it,” UK minister Angela Rayner told Sky News on Sunday. “But look, we’re really serious about the Good Friday Agreement,” she added, referring to the 1998 peace accords that largely ended three decades of sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland. It stipulates that a referendum on Irish unity can be held if the UK government determines a majority there is likely in favour. Republic of Ireland voters would also need to back it in a separate poll. Tight security Within hours of his surprise intervention on the issue, Trump had touched down in Doonbeg, on the country’s west coast, where his Trump Organisation-owned golf course is hosting the Irish Open. The American leader will attend the tournament again Sunday — the main reason for the trip — before later departing for Washington. Roads were closed and police checkpoints installed near the resort. Around 30 people…