President Donald Trump spoke on Irish reunification and wind energy during a visit to Dublin on Sunday, September 13, 2026. After saying he would "love" to see a unified Ireland during a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin on Saturday, Trump was asked the following day about British Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s position that a referendum requires majority support. Trump stated that "things happen" regarding the timeline of reunification before transitioning his remarks to criticize wind turbines.
The president’s comments continue an opposition to wind energy that began about two decades ago. The disagreement originated when Trump unsuccessfully sued to block an offshore wind farm near his golf resort in Scotland, citing concerns that the structures would spoil the view. Since returning to office, he has halted work on various wind projects, including a development off the coast of Rhode Island that was 80% complete, and authorized a $1 billion payment to a French company to abandon two offshore wind leases.
During the Sunday exchange, Trump praised Ireland for having fewer wind turbines than Scotland and argued that the presence of a turbine near a home makes the property "practically valueless." He further stated that wind turbine blades cannot be easily buried and cause problems in the earth. Trump also claimed that Prime Minister Burnham intended to resume North Sea drilling and would stop the installation of what Trump described as "stupid windmills."
Critics cited in social media responses questioned his focus on wind energy when asked about the territorial integrity of the United Kingdom and Ireland. No specific dates for new executive orders or court hearings related to these projects were reported.