Letter: Unionists will regret their time with President Trump in Washington DC visit

Deputy First Minister, Emma Little Pengelly, some other DUP representatives and business leaders were seen cosying up to the US President at this week’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Washington DC, in both the White House and Capitol Hill, but I believe they will regret this because of the aggressive stance he is taking on tariffs.

We can see what is happening in Canada. Trump’s commitment to the ‘United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement’, ensuring free trade, is now in tatters and, despite being an ally of the US, Canada is struggling to come to terms with the imposition of severe tariffs and threats to make their country the 51st State. We will be next.

A trade war will be hugely damaging to many of our local businesses making it more expensive to export and import. Therefore the rest of the West must take a unified position against these tariffs, otherwise Trump will simply pick each country off one by one.

There will be those who argue that our political leaders should be promoting Northern Ireland’s business and tourism interests, no matter who is in the White House.

Everyone will have their own opinion but giving in to a bully never ends well.

Brian Pope, Banbridge, Co Down