Irish PM: Trump must be treated with respect during November visit

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar on Sunday said that he expects the nation to treat President Trump with respect upon his visit later this year, despite disagreements with his policies and rhetoric.

“I know a lot of people dislike him, a lot of people object to him, a lot of people disagree with a lot of his policies, just as I do in fact,” Varadkar told national broadcaster RTE, according to Reuters.

“But he is the president of America and the relationship between Ireland and the United States is much more important than any Irish government or any U.S. administration and I think we have to treat his office with the respect that it deserves,” he added.

{mosads}Varadkar said he was a bit surprised by Trump’s decision to accept an open invitation to visit Ireland, according to Reuters.

The White House announced last week that the president will visit Ireland as part of a four-country tour after the November midterm elections. He will also visit France, Colombia and Argentina.

The November jaunt will mark Trump’s first visit to Ireland since taking office.

Within 24 hours of the announcement, the Ireland Green Party had organized a Facebook event for a march to protest Trump and his “destructive politics of hate,” and thousands quickly said they planned to attend.

Waves of protesters greeted the president during his trip to the United Kingdom earlier this year, with thousands turning out for marches in London and at his Scotland golf course.