Enda McClafferty
BBC News NI political editor

Former Democratic Unionist Party MP Ian Paisley, a close friend of the Trump family, has downplayed the president’s support for a united Ireland.

President Trump said a united Ireland would be a “great thing” and would be a “feather in everyone’s cap”.

In response, Ian Paisley said: “Everyone is allowed a personal opinion even when it’s wrong."

He added “I suspect the president would really like to see Ireland united under the Crown.

“The political, cultural and economic reality is that Northern Ireland and its people are British and wish to remain so.

“Uprooting that stability isn’t in anyone’s interest and would be like telling Alaska it would be great to see it back in the USSR.”

He added: “The likelihood of Irish unification is as likely as Canada becoming the 51st state of the USA.”

Ian Paisley is a long-standing friend of President Trump since the pair first met at a business meeting in New York along with his father.

Donald Trump’s son Eric has also visited the Paisleys in Northern Ireland.

Image source, Reuters

Donald Trump's morning in Dublin is over.

He met with Ireland's President Catherine Connolly and Taoiseach (Irish PM) Micheál Martin.

He then made a speech at the US ambassador's residence.

That's his official duties done for his two-day visit.

So what next for Trump?

There's the small matter of the golf.

He will travel to Shannon Airport then onto the Irish Open in Doonbeg, County Clare, which is being held at the hotel resort he owns.

Trump will stay there tomorrow before heading back to the US.

While he'll move onto other issue across the world - his comments on a united Ireland will cause debate and discussion for days to come across the UK and Ireland.

Irish unity comments will be a headache for Irish governmentpublished at 12:36 BST

12:36 BST

Gabija Gataveckaite
BBC News NI Dublin correspondent

The comments on the possibility of a united Ireland will form a headache for the Irish government.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin had in the past emphasised the need for reconciliation and instead spoken about cross-community initiatives like the Irish government’s Shared Island fund, which uses money from the Irish taxpayer to build infrastructure projects across both sides of the border.

Martin is viewed as being not as keen on advancing talks for a border poll.

Fine Gael, who is the second biggest party in the Irish government, is due in November to present its blueprint on what a united Ireland may look like.

The typical response from the leaders of other countries on the question of a border poll is typically that it is a decision for the people of Ireland and the UK.

Trump's straightforward comments will cause rumbles in the Irish government that will not be welcomed.

Image source, Reuters

President Trump has finished his speech at the US ambassador's residence by commenting on the "unbelievable people in Ireland".

"People love you, they love the people," he says, referencing their "friendliness" before joking also about a "viciousness" and a "toughness".

He says it's an "honour to be here".

He then concludes his address, which lasted around 40 minutes, and says he is off to the Irish Open golf tournament.

"Shane is leading and Rory's doing well," he says, referencing golfers Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy.

With that, the president's visit will now move on to Doonbeg, County Clare, where his hotel is hosting the tournament.

Downing Street has responded to Trump's comments that a united Ireland would "love to see" a united Ireland.

Number 10 referred to Prime Minister Andy Burnham's words on Wednesday in the House of Commons that he "will stick to it (the Good Friday Agreement) 100%".

On Wednesday, Burnham added that "the question of a border poll" was for the Northern Ireland secretary "when there is clear consensus in the country - when public opinion has changed to the point at which the call has to be considered".

The Good Friday Agreement - which ended the 30-year Northern Ireland conflict known as the Troubles - allows for the Northern Ireland secretary to call a border poll if it appears likely that a majority of people in Northern Ireland would vote for Irish unification.

A border poll would see people in Northern Ireland vote on whether they want to stay part of the United Kingdom or unite with the Republic of Ireland.

As reaction starts to come in, here's a reminder of what Donald Trump said about a potential united Ireland about 90 minutes ago while meeting with Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Micheál Martin in Dublin.

Image source, PA Media

While President Trump continues to speak at the US ambassador's residence, we can bring you some reaction to his comments earlier that a united Ireland "would be fantastic".

Gavin Robinson, the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party - the largest unionist party in Northern Ireland, which supports Northern Ireland remaining in the UK - has written on X that Trump "knows better than most that elections matter".

He added: "Northern Ireland’s constitutional future will be decided by the people of Northern Ireland, not by commentary in London, Dublin or Washington.

"Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom because that is the settled democratic will of its people.

"I am confident NI will continue to choose the UK and the security it offers. As unionists we are not interested in the destruction of our country by joining with the Irish Republic."

Image source, AFP via Getty Images

Trump repeats that the Irish "have been great friends of America" and says the relationship between the two countries is "fantastic".

He describes how the business leaders in the room are among the most successful people in the world".

The president adds that he is pleased Ireland is now the sixth largest form of foreign direct investment in the US.

"Congratulations on your genius," he says.

US ambassador to Ireland Ed Walsh introduces President Trump to speak as the song God Bless the USA plays.

Trump makes lengthy introductory comments before getting down to business.

He thanks Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Micheál Martin and his wife Mary for hosting, saying they "talked about a lot of different things".

He then references the press conference they gave afterwards, saying "every question [from the press] is a kill" and joking about his united Ireland comments.

Recalling the moment, he says: "Oh that's a nice question, I have a nice answer, I think, we'll read about it tomorrow."

He says the issue of unification is one of those questions there is "no good answer" to, "no matter what you say, no matter how well you say it".

He then repeats his stance, saying unification "would be cool".

Image source, Getty Images

President Trump has now made the short journey from Farmleigh House, in Phoenix Park, to the Deerfield Residence, also in Phoenix Park.

This is the US ambassador's to Ireland's residence. Trump is now talking at an event speaking to US embassy staff and business leaders - you can watch live by hitting the play button at the top of this page.

Image source, Reuters

Earlier, while answering questions about a Iran, Gaza and a potential united Ireland, Donald Trump was also asked if he spoke to the British Prime Minister Andy Burnham about the Falkland Islands.

"Here we go again," says Trump as he recalls being a young boy when the Falklands War happened.

He says the UK was "a different country at that time" and claims "they went in and they took it over".

"I'm sure I'll be pulled into that potential disaster," he says before insisting if there was an issue in the Falklands he would be able to sort it out.

"Right now you have two countries that are not happy," he adds.

Earlier this month Trump said the US could revise its neutral position on the Falkland Islands' sovereignty if the UK failed to increase defence spending.

Katie Williams
Live reporter

Let's take a closer look at the history of the island of Ireland, following Trump's earlier comments that he would be in favour of Irish unification.

There are two parts to the island - the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland officially came into existence in 1921 when the partition of the island of Ireland took legal effect.

It followed decades of turmoil between nationalists, who wanted independence from British rule, and unionists, who wanted to remain in the United Kingdom.

Partition was viewed by the British government as a compromise solution, with the border dividing the 32-county island into two separate jurisdictions - the six-county Northern Ireland, which remained in the UK; and the Irish Free State, which is now the Republic of Ireland.

Northern Ireland's status - whether it should be part of the UK or reunified with the rest of the island - was at the forefront of the 30-year conflict known as the Troubles.

The Troubles ended with the 1998 Good Friday Agreement - which makes provision for a border poll on Northern Ireland's constitutional future, which can be called by the UK government's secretary of state for Northern Ireland.

The agreement says the secretary of state must hold a border poll if it appears likely that a majority of people in Northern Ireland would vote for Irish unification - and the circumstances of when that could happen is the subject of constant debate in Northern Ireland and the Republic.

Two days ago, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said there needed to be more clarity on when a border poll can be called.

Unionists will be hoping Trump's united Ireland comments were not from the heartpublished at 11:41 BST

11:41 BST

Mark Simpson
BBC News NI

Unionists in Northern Ireland will be hoping that President Trump’s support for a united Ireland was just a throwaway comment and not a policy shift.

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), especially former MP Ian Paisley Jnr, are political cheerleaders for Trump.

Hearing his enthusiasm for an end to the Irish border will not go down well in unionist circles.

Previous US presidents like Bill Clinton and Joe Biden, both Democrats, were often suspected of having private sympathy for the united Ireland cause but publicly steered a largely neutral line on this hyper-sensitive political issue.

Unlike previous presidents, Trump tends to speak off the cuff, even on the most delicate political subjects.

Unionists will be hoping Trump’s comments were not spoken from his heart but rather the result of a tired brain after an overnight trans-Atlantic trip.

Mark Simpson
BBC News NI

With President Trump not expected in Dublin city centre, security is low key.

However with a protest planned at lunchtime, dozens of crowd-control barriers have been placed on O’Connell Street, at the heart of the city centre.

They have been positioned outside the General Post Office (GPO), one of the city’s most famous buildings.

The GPO was the headquarters of the Easter Rising in 1916 during Ireland’s fight for independence from Britain. It has since become a meeting point for all forms of political protest.

Caitriona Perry
Presenter, BBC News

Earlier, while President Trump was in Áras an Uachtaráin, the official residence of the Irish President, he signed the visitor book.

I’ve just seen the page.

He wrote “A great honor to be here. Thank you!", and then signed his name.

Image source, RTÉ

Chris Page
BBC News Ireland correspondent

Among the journalists outside Farmleigh House, there was a collective loud gasp when Donald Trump made those comments about a united Ireland.

He said he would be in favour of Irish unification, describing it as a “feather in everyone’s cap”.

He acknowledged the UK would have something to say about it, but said it would be a “fantastic thing”.

We had the issues come up which everyone expected - the Middle East, energy and broader international relations - but no one saw the Irish unification one coming.

It was one of those off-the-cuff moments from Donald Trump and it is certainly going to generate a huge amount of political debate, not least in Northern Ireland.

Ciaran McCauley
BBC News NI

The questions to Trump and Martin have now ended, with his comments ranging from Iran, Gaza and, interestingly, right up to his view that a united Ireland "will happen" even if "the UK has something to say about it".

Those lines are sure to cause a reaction, particularly in Northern Ireland.

Many unionists, who support Northern Ireland continuing to be part of the UK and oppose reunification, have also been supporters of Donald Trump.

Back in March, during a St Patrick's Day visit to Washington, Northern Ireland's deputy first minister Emma-Little Pengelly - from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) - said the president was joking when he referenced promoting a possible "merger" in Ireland.

There was no suggestion he was joking a little while ago at Farmleigh House.

Image source, AFP via Getty Images

Trump is now asked about Irish reunification.

The president says he does not "want to cause any problems" but says he would "love to see it unified".

He says he has friends on both sides and that it would be a "great feather in everybody's cap" if there was unification.

He says it is "going to happen eventually" and adds that he thinks it would be a "great thing".

He says that the "UK will have something to say about it" but "how can it be bad?"

Trump is now asked what he'd say to people protesting today about his visit in Ireland.

"I haven't seen any protests," he says, before joking: "It's a friendly protest."

He says the US has a "great relationship with Ireland".

It's a "very profitable one for Ireland, less profitable for us to be honest with you," he adds.

Trump is now asked about what he would say to those in Ireland who say the US is facilitating genocide in Gaza and the illegal occupation by Israel of territories in West Bank.

"We put out the fire," Trump responds and adds that the US got all of the hostages taken in the 7 October attack returned to Israel.

He adds that the US has "facilitated a peace of a kind".

Martin interjects and says that he has discussed the need for ongoing humanitarian aid going into Gaza with Trump.

"We'll get that done, definitely," adds Trump.