Standoff over venue threatens to derail Trump visit to Ireland

[demmiblue]

(CNN)A standoff is heating up between advance teams from the Irish and US governments over a potential presidential visit next month to the Emerald Isle.

President Donald Trump is expected to travel to Ireland for two nights during his visit to Great Britain and France to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

An Irish government source with knowledge of ongoing discussions told CNN that the White House is insisting the Irish prime minister, or taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, come to the President's golf course in Doonbeg to host a meeting between the two leaders.

According to the source, "The Irish government feel that protocol dictates that any event they host for President Trump should be at a venue of their choosing and certainly not at an hotel owned by Trump."

"It is a bit unseemly to demand that the taoiseach host President Trump at his hotel," the source said.

The source, who asked that his name not be used so he could speak freely, says Trump's chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, has been intimately involved in the discussions and has been insistent that Varadkar come to Doonbeg.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/17/politics/us-ireland-trump-visit-venue-hotel-golf/index.html?utm_source=twCNNp&utm_term=image&utm_content=2019-05-18T11%3A04%3A03&utm_medium=social

[H2O Man]

1. Recommended.

[real Cannabis calm]

2. recommended to publicize

[sinkingfeeling]

3. More than "a bit unseemly". Hold fast to your ethics, Ireland.

[Baitball Blogger]

25. Yes, because, apparently, we can't.

[watoos]

4. Trump can better control the planned protests,

and make a buck at his own property.

[Martin Eden]

10. My first thought was there will be protests

But you rightly point out avarice as additional motive.

[pecosbob]

5. I might suggest they host the meeting in front of their Hall of Justice or a prison

[mopinko]

24. i bet there is an old castle w a dungeon somewhere.

maybe even a small town jail.
they can probably find one that is already a b&b.

[Hugin]

35. Hopefully, they're warming up an oubliette for him in France.

[greatauntoftriplets]

36. Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin works for me.

[mopinko]

38. for the win.

this the jail where they massacred the independence fighters, yes?

[greatauntoftriplets]

39. That's the one.

[hatrack]

6. Or he could spend a couple of nights in the Orkneys . . . maybe the Faroes?

Not that far away, and far fewer protestors!

[muriel_volestrangler]

17. The Faroes are closed to visitors. Only those interested in manual environmental work need apply.

(Well, they were, a few weeks ago: https://www.visitfaroeislands.com/closed/ )

I suggest we send him to Stac-an-Armin, off St. Kilda - symbolic of his commitment to the environment:

In June of 1840, three sailors hailing from the Scottish island of St. Kilda landed on the craggy ledges of a nearby seastack, known as Stac-an-Armin. As they climbed up the rock, they spotted a peculiar bird that stood head and shoulders above the puffins and gulls and other seabirds.
...
The sailors watched as the bird, a Great Auk, waddled clumsily along. Agile in the water, the unusual creature was defenseless against humans on land, and its ineptitude made it an easy target “Prophet-like that lone one stood,” one of the men later said of the encounter.

Perhaps the men enjoyed the thrill of the hunt, or perhaps they realized its meat and feathers were incredibly valuable. In any case, they abducted the bird, tying its legs together and taking it back to their ship. For three days, the sailors kept the Great Auk alive, but on the fourth, during a terrible storm, the sailors grew fearful and superstitious. Condemning it as “a maelstrom-conjuring witch,” they stoned it to death.

It was the last of its kind to ever be seen on the British Isles. Four years later, the Great Auk vanished from the world entirely when fishermen hunted down the last pair on the shores of Eldey Island, off the coast of Iceland. The men spotted the mates in the distance and attacked, catching and killing the birds as they fled for safety. The female had been incubating an egg, but in the race to catch the adults, one of the fishermen crushed it with his boot, stamping out the species for good.


Read more: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/with-crush-fisherman-boot-the-last-great-auks-died-180951982/

[hatrack]

31. St. Helena might be better yet (and historically resonant) . . ..

Maybe the Kerguelen Islands?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

7. He never misses a chance to make a buck.

What he probably wants even more to do is show off his golf resort and brag about how it's one of the best in the world - which according to the author of "Commander in Cheat," it isn't; nobody goes there. https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/rick-reilly-trump-golf-816324/

[Hugin]

37. Grifters gotta grift.

It's all about the moneys.

He's pretty consistent about it... Take the DC Hotel/Tip Jar for example.

[spanone]

8. I hope the Irish tell him where to stick his visit.

[Maeve]

9. Hang tough, Taoiseach!

You know he just wants your money--don't give it to him!

[lark]

11. Nary an opportunity to suck illegal profits for himself out of another government will be missed.

He's all in on criminality that profits himself, and so is Mulvaney. That's the reason he's Chief of Staff, he aids and abets drumpfs criminal enterprise.

[lindysalsagal]

12. I don't even know where to start.

Varadkar come to Doonbeg. Is this an episode of The Last Kingdom? Varadkar sounds like a place you go if they won't let you into Valhalla. Or, something to cook for dinner.

Secondly, "Who invited trump?"

Thirdly,

What's this "Greatest President In The History of The world" so afraid of? if he stays in anyone else's accomodations???

[underpants]

14. 3 - self promotion and at his property he is the boss

Not just that he is the boss but he is endlessly praised and that's what he adores.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

13. Sounds like he's the visitor from hell.

Etiquette 101 respect your hosts.

[gademocrat7]

15. The despicable grifter.

Hope he has to cancel his visit.

[pdsimdars]

16. He probably didn't like their fabric swatches either.

[Cousin Dupree]

18. He embarrasses us every chance he gets. The guy has no shame

[NCjack]

19. "It is a bit unseemly to demand that the taoiseach host President Trump at his hotel,"

the source said.

The MFer-45 is raw and rude. Just tell Mulvaney "no" and hang up the phone.

[ginnyinWI]

20. I am just so sick of him!

He never changes. For the last three years, everything he has said or done revolves around the same theme. He's always putting himself first, particularly his financial interests, and ignoring the rights and feelings of everybody else.

So boring! No matter what he does, he's always the same! Always disappointing and always a disgrace!

[paleotn]

21. Idiots....

The republic is naturally a bit sensitive to protocol faux pas that smack of colonialism. It's their country. They make the rules. If you don't like it, stay the fuck out.

[mgardener]

22. I hope the Irish stand firm

He is visiting their country, he does not get to dictate where he is received.

Why isn't Congress screaming about this?
He and his family will PROFIT from a state visit.
DEPLORABLE.

[zentrum]

23. Hope they don't cave.

He's such a sleeze.

So embarrassed to be an American at this point.

[watoos]

26. Why every time someone mentions Ireland

I think of Guiness?

[OnDoutside]

27. Advertising and a sheltered life ? !!! There's more to us than that 😉

[Hugin]

32. Aye, there's Baileys'!

Top 'o the morning to ya!

[OnDoutside]

40. Actually Baileys with Hennessy over ice !!! God i used to love that !!!

[Hugin]

41. ...

Baileys' and sweaters are the only two concessions I've ever found with my Swedish SO. I'm on my own for all of the rest.

I don't get the attraction from her end. Maybe she finds me amusing?

[OnDoutside]

46. I'm sure !!! ;)

[OnDoutside]

28. Clearly he's only going to Ireland to play golf at Doonbeg. A friend of mine had to do

some work there and even though it was winter, he said it was very busy, unfortunately.

[at140]

29. Trump wants to make a buck at

His property. Greedy SOB 😡

[yellowcanine]

30. Protocol? We don't need no stinkin' protocol!

[MFM008]

33. We Irish/Americans

Pray our cousins stand firm against this maggot who is attempting to hold court like Henry VIII.
🇨🇮🇨🇮🇨🇮🇨🇮🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[Eyeball_Kid]

34. The Irish Government will NOT suppress any plans or actions to show disgust at Trumpy.

Demonstrations are in the works. Trumpy will be publicly mocked by demonstrators if he attends any official functions. And we all know that Trumpy abhors bad optics. That's the issue. Trumpy wants the controlled environment of a private golf course. He won't get it.

Tough shit, Trumpy. The Irish have your number.

[MFGsunny]

42. K & R ... + 1,000,000 for exposure ... K and R and K and R .... rinse repeat n/t

[Totally Tunsie]

43. Still trying to bully the world, eh, donnie?

Ireland should just disinvite him, citing his abhorrent rudeness.

[shanti]

44. Chump can piss off

He will be a guest in Ireland, so Ireland gets to name the venue. Nasty grifter.

[Hekate]

45. The Mad King is a national embarrassment. Hang tough, Ireland; you know how to deal with despots...

...and foreign tyrants.

[Mc Mike]

47. Tigh trasna ort fin, shitler.