00:19Irish President Catherine Connolly has delivered a blunt message to U.S. President Donald Trump,
00:25telling him directly that the normalization of war and genocide is unacceptable.
00:32The message came during a meeting between Connolly and Trump at Arras and Uttaran,
00:38the Irish presidential residence in Dublin, on Saturday, September 12th.
00:42Trump was in Ireland for a two-day non-state visit,
00:46and the meeting with Connolly was part of his official engagements.
00:50The encounter began with a ceremonial welcome,
00:53including national anthems, a guard of honour, and introductions between the two delegations.
00:59But behind the formal ceremony,
01:02Connolly used the meeting to deliver a much stronger political message.
01:06In a statement released after the meeting,
01:08the Irish president said she had conveyed the strong view of the Irish people
01:13that the normalization of war and genocide can never be accepted.
01:17Connolly pointed to Ireland's own history, including famine, colonization,
01:23and the violence of the Troubles, saying that this experience gives the Irish people
01:28a unique insight into the long and difficult road toward peace.
01:33She also stressed Ireland's commitment to international relations and the United Nations,
01:38highlighting the country's contribution to U.N. peacekeeping since 1958.
01:43And Connolly invoked Ireland's constitution, pointing to Article 29,
01:49and its commitment to the peaceful resolution of international disputes.
01:53Her message was clear. War cannot simply become an accepted part of international politics.
02:00The meeting lasted more than 20 minutes, with members of both delegations present.
02:06The two leaders also discussed Irish emigrants in the United States,
02:10the 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks,
02:14the upcoming 250th anniversary of American independence, and Northern Ireland.
02:20And the Irish president did not arrive empty-handed.
02:23She presented Trump with peace-themed gifts, including a traditional St. Brigid's Cross,
02:29a copy of The Voyage of St. Brendan, and the collected poems of Michael Longley.
02:34Among Longley's works is his famous poem, Ceasefire, a striking choice for a meeting where the issue of
02:42war and peace was at the center of Connolly's message. Trump, meanwhile, described the encounter
02:48as a very nice meeting, calling it speedy, respectful, and positive. He said the two sides discussed a lot
02:55of issues quickly, including Northern Ireland. But Trump did not publicly respond in detail to
03:01Connolly's warning about the normalization of war and genocide. And that makes the Irish president's remarks
03:08stand out. Connolly has previously been openly critical of Trump, describing him as volatile and
03:15accusing him of behaving like a bully. She has also repeatedly criticized policies surrounding conflicts
03:21in the Middle East. So this was not simply a ceremonial meeting. It was an encounter where the Irish
03:27president used a diplomatic setting to put a powerful message directly before the U.S. president.
03:34Ireland's history, Connolly argued, gives its people a deep understanding of the cost of conflict
03:40and of the difficult work required to build peace. And her message to Trump was unmistakable.
03:47War and genocide must never become normal. And those who have the power to end conflicts
03:54must have the courage to pursue peace.
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