'You fleeced us': Trump confronts Ireland with blunt economic message
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump accused Ireland of having “fleeced” the United States, saying Americans had been “like a bunch of babies” before declaring they were “not babies anymore.”
The comments came as Trump discussed the two countries’ economic relationship and his administration’s push to attract investment to the United States.
He made the remarks on Saturday, September 12, while addressing US embassy personnel and business leaders at Ambassador Edward Walsh's Deerfield Residence in Dublin during a two-day visit to Ireland.
🇺🇸🇮🇪Ireland is sixth among sources of foreign direct investment into the United States, at nearly $392 billion in 2025.
— Catch Up (@CatchUpFeed) September 12, 2026
Trump says the market has hit eighty all-time highs in about fifteen months, and their investments have roughly doubled.
Their genius, he tells them, was… pic.twitter.com/rS8afaDQl2
Trump says Ireland took advantage of the US
Trump said Ireland had benefited economically from the United States, but argued that the balance was changing under his administration.
“You people did very well. You fleeced us, but that's okay. We were like a bunch of babies, but we're not babies anymore,” Trump said.
He then pointed to what he described as a stronger US economy and a surge in investment, telling the Irish business leaders that “there's a lot of room to go around” and that the relationship with Ireland was “fantastic.”
Trump said Ireland was the sixth-largest source of foreign direct investment in the United States, claiming nearly $392 billion had been invested in 2025.
He also credited tariffs with pushing companies to build plants and factories in the US.
“So I said, there's only one thing you can do to solve that problem. You have to build your plant, your factory. You have to build it in the US,” Trump said.
President Trump promotes investment and tax breaks
Trump also promoted tax provisions included in what he called the “Great Big Beautiful Bill,” saying businesses could write off the full cost of a building or factory in one year.
For the Irish business leaders in the room, Trump framed the investment relationship as an opportunity even as he criticized Ireland’s past economic gains.
He said companies building factories in America could avoid tariffs and argued that the United States had removed barriers to investment.
“There's never been a better time to do business in the USA,” Trump said.
Trump contrasted the current economy with the previous administration, claiming the United States had received less than $1 trillion in new investment over four years but was approaching $21 trillion in 16 months under his administration.
He also said the United States had become “the hottest country in the world right now,” citing stock market gains, factory construction, and what he described as record investment.
Trump credits Irish immigrants and discusses unification
Trump’s remarks also touched on the relationship between Ireland and Northern Ireland after he was asked about possible unification.
“I actually said it would be, I think, a very cool thing,” Trump said, adding that he expected the question to produce an answer that would not satisfy everyone.
He praised the long-standing relationship between Ireland and the United States and said Irish people had contributed greatly to America since its earliest days.
Trump also credited an Irish aide to George Washington with first using the term “United States of America.”
He separately said Ireland was among the most successful business communities anywhere in the world and told those present that their investments in the United States had benefited from the country’s recent gains.
