Sinn Féin to boycott US St Patrick’s Day celebrations over Donald Trump stance

When power-sharing is functioning, it is custom for the first and deputy first ministers to make the trip to Washington DC.

In a video posted on the social media platform X, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said she had followed the president’s comments on Gaza with “growing concern” and had listened in “horror” to calls for “mass expulsion of the Palestinian people from their homes and the permanent seizure of Palestinian lands”.

“Such an approach is a fundamental breach of international law, is deeply destabilising in the Middle East and a dangerous departure from the UN position of peace and security for both Palestinians and Israelis and the right of Palestinians to self-determination,” she added.

At a press conference following the announcement, McDonald added that the US is a “valued friend” of Ireland, with strong peace ties and role in the Irish economy.

However, the Sinn Féin president said the current US administration is “catastrophically wrong” on Palestine.

“I have made a decision not to attend events in the White House this year as a principled stance against the call for the mass expulsion of the Palestinian people from Gaza,” she said.

“The only route to peace and security is a permanent ceasefire followed by a negotiation settlement which guarantees peace and security for both Palestinians and Israelis through a just and sustainable two state solution and that should be the solution of the US.”

McDonald also called on Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Micheál Martin to use the celebrations as an opportunity to reflect the views of the Irish people in relation to Palestine in support of International law.

O’Neill said she had spoken to Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly on Friday morning to inform her of the decision.

“It is absolutely her call in terms of what she may decide to do,” she added.

“For me this about taking a principled stand this is about a moment in time a moment in history when we will all reflect on what we did and this is an opportunity to take a stand for the Palestinian people.”

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Gavin Robinson described Sinn Féin’s decision as “short-sighted and counterproductive”, and criticised the first minister’s decision to boycott the celebrations.

He confirmed that his party would be in Washington for the St Patrick’s day events.

“We always use the opportunity to strengthen Northern Ireland’s economic and political ties with the United States, regardless of who occupies the White House,” he said.

“We will continue to engage with our partners in Washington, promoting Northern Ireland as a place to invest, work, and do business.”

SDLP leader Claire Hanna said she was glad there was a “growing realisation things cannot be business as usual” with the current US administration.

Last week, she announced that her party would decline an invite to the White House over the president’s comments on Gaza.

It is the second year in a row the party have said it would turn down an invitation to St Patrick’s Day celebrations.

“There are those who have championed Donald Trump and tried to ride on his coattails,” she told BBC News NI.

“They have a decision to make as to whether they go along with his autocracy, his means of disinformation and potentially international chaos or whether they choose to stand against it and speak truth to power.”