THE Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland has met with US President Donald Trump during a visit to the White House.
Emma Little-Pengelly was in Washington this week for the St Patrick’s Day celebrations.
She was one of four Stormont ministers who travelled to the US, including fellow DUP ministers Paul Givan and Gordon Lyons, UUP leader Jon Burrows and Health Minister Mike Nesbitt.
First Minister Michelle O’Neill refused to attend the events, continuing her boycott of proceedings for a second year due to the US government’s support for Israeli attacks on Gaza.
“The situation in Gaza is so serious that this is not the time to engage in celebrations in the White House,” Ms O’Neill said.
Alliance leader Naomi Long and SDLP leader Claire Hanna also chose not to take part in the annual trip by political leaders from the North.
Ms Little-Pengelly, who criticised those boycotting the event as a “missed opportunity”, met with President Trump on St Patrick’s Day (March 17),
“The main focus of this visit to Washington has been to showcase everything Northern Ireland has to offer and my meeting with the President was an opportunity to take that message directly to him,” she said after the meeting.
“We spoke about the special relationship between Northern Ireland and the US and the role the US has played in transforming this place we call home and putting it firmly on the map,” she added.
“We also talked about the importance of that two-way relationship and the mutual benefits it brings to us all.”
Secretary of State Hillary Benn and PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher were also in Washington this week for the celebrations marking Ireland’s national day.
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