Trump accuses Ireland of poaching US businesses

Donald Trump has criticised Ireland’s tax policies, accusing the country of luring U.S. companies away and warning of a potential escalation in his trade war with the EU.

Speaking from the Oval Office alongside Irish Premier Micheál Martin, Trump took aim at Ireland’s corporate tax system, which he claimed attracts pharmaceutical and other major businesses at America’s expense.

“We’ve been abused for a long time, and we will be abused no longer,” he declared.

Lashing out at the European Union, Trump added, “The EU mistreats us and has for years. They use our companies to win massive amounts of money. They sued Apple … and used that to fund the European Union.”

He argued that the EU’s actions foster “ill will”, justifying the reciprocal tariffs he plans to introduce next month.

Trump defended his tariff strategy, stating it would rebuild U.S. manufacturing, restore fairness to American trade, and reduce the country’s massive trade deficit.

His remarks came during a meeting with the Irish Prime Minister, as he reinforced his hardline stance on trade with Europe.

Today’s meeting takes place as Donald Trump continues to reshape the global economy with a wave of tariffs, with more either promised or threatened.

While Ireland has not been directly targeted, the country—home to 5.4 million people—maintains a trade surplus with the U.S., and U.S.-owned multinational companies employ a significant share of the Irish workforce.

Trump has repeatedly targeted countries with which the U.S. runs a trade deficit, vowing broad measures to bring jobs back to America. He has also threatened tariffs on pharmaceutical products, a key sector in Ireland’s economy.

Earlier this month, Irish Premier Micheál Martin acknowledged the potential risks, stating:

“I am very, very conscious that in a very challenging world, thousands and thousands of jobs depend on the economic relationship between the United States and Ireland.”