'I acknowledge the very intensive work that the Trump administration put in in the days before President Trump assumed office,' says Simon Harris
Ireland's new Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Simon Harris praised US President Donald Trump on Monday for his role in securing the recent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, acknowledging the "intensive work" done by Trump's administration in the days leading up to his return to office.Harris told reporters in Brussels that the ceasefire agreement includes provisions for the return of displaced Palestinians to their homes.When asked about President Trump's recent remarks advocating for the "clean out" of Gaza's population to Egypt and Jordan, Harris reiterated that the ceasefire's goal is to restore normalcy for Palestinian civilians.
"I acknowledge the very intensive work that the Trump administration put in in the days before President Trump assumed office," Harris said.
"I think that was welcome, and I've no doubt that played a very significant role in helping to bring about a ceasefire—one that has now seen the killing and the bombing stop, that has seen aid flow and hostages be released."
"And it's really important that that ceasefire holds; it is also important, though, to acknowledge in that ceasefire agreement itself, it does talk about people being able to return, and therefore, I think it's important that we're consistent in the approach that we take," he added.
In light of Trump's stated ambitions to repatriate US investment, Harris announced plans to propose a new US-Ireland Trade Consultative Forum to the government next week.
The initiative aims to ensure Ireland remains a competitive destination for US multinational companies, despite Trump's policies encouraging American businesses to relocate operations back to the US.
"It's really important we also listen carefully to what people who consider investing in Ireland are saying," he said, citing concerns over infrastructure development in areas like energy, housing, and water. "Showing them that we have a roadmap and a plan for that, as we do and have prioritized in the Programme for Government, would be very good."
- EU must engage with Trump, not just react
Harris also urged the European Union to adopt a proactive stance towards the Trump administration, rather than simply reacting to the US president's policies.
"We should also be one that talks about what we are going to do ourselves, and we are not just commentators on the outcomes of other people's elections.
"We are the European Union, and there are hundreds of millions of us. There are 27 countries, and we must now control what we can control," he said.
He emphasized that early engagement with Trump would be crucial and welcomed the EU's decision to invite US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to a forthcoming meeting of EU foreign ministers.
"We can do business with the Trump administration. My country has done business with every US administration, and there'll be challenges, but we've got to control them," he stated.
Harris is set to meet with EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic on the sidelines of the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting to discuss transatlantic trade strategies.
