Trump and McGregor. Credit: Instagram @thenotoriousmma
Irish MMA star Conor McGregor is suggesting that his country should consider leaving the EU altogether after Trump’s tariffs are revealed.
Ireland has been warned to brace for a potential economic hit following US President Donald Trump’s latest round of tariffs targeting the European Union. The announcement, dubbed “Liberation Day” by Trump, includes a 20 per cent tariff on EU imports – double the 10 per cent rate applied to UK goods. This doesn’t look good for Ireland, paired with the recent figures revealing a tourism slump.
Conor McGregor’s social media rant over Trump tariffs
Conor McGregor – who had a rosy meeting with Trump at the White House just weeks ago for St. Patrick’s Day – took to social media platform X to express his anger over the tariff disparity. He posted: To be charged double the United Kingdom is an abomination!
…Although we are in the EU, Ireland must administer exemption to our siblings in the United States separate to the EU, and the favor then returned…
Otherwise, and maybe the caveat in all of this, we should no longer be in the EU.”
McGregor’s comments mark a sharp shift from his previously warm relationship with Trump, where he once said he had the “complete backing of the entire Trump administration,” according to GB News.
Irish pharmaceuticals to be hit with Trump tariffs?
Although pharmaceuticals were not included in the first wave, Ireland’s Deputy Premier and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Harris said it is now the government’s “working assumption” that pharma will be hit next. Speaking in Dublin, Harris told reporters: “Steel and aluminium, he’s already done. The car industry he’s already done and he’s indicated semiconductors and lumber and pharma.” (Cited by The Daily Mail.)
The pharmaceutical and chemicals industry is vital to Ireland’s economy, employing around 45,000 people. Ireland reportedly exported €223.8 billion worth of goods globally in 2023, with one-third destined for the US.
Trump accused Ireland of attracting US pharma firms through favourable tax policies, saying: “All of a sudden Ireland has our pharmaceutical companies, this beautiful island of five million people has got the entire US pharmaceutical industry in its grasp.”
Northern Ireland’s Brexit deal a backdoor benefit?
Northern Ireland could benefit from the fallout due to its post-Brexit trade deal with the EU and UK. As reported by the Daily Mail, businesses based there can sell tariff-free into both the EU single market and Britain, and may also face lower US tariffs.
Despite the growing tension, Simon Harris (Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Minister for Defence) struck a more diplomatic tone. According to a Daily Mail report, he explained that 80 per cent of Irish pharmaceutical exports to the US are not finished products – meaning they still generate American jobs and tax revenue.
What are your thoughts on Ireland leaving the EU to avoid Trump’s high tariffs? Let us know in the comments below.
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