A week in pictures: Unionists had Washington DC to themselves amid a boycott of Donald Trump and the US capital by nationalists from Northern Ireland and Alliance

Sinn Fein boycotted the various events in protest at the US-Israeli military strikes against Iran. Elected SDLP and Alliance​ Party politicians were also absent from the the US capital. This left the way clear for unionists to represent Northern Ireland.

Those who crossed the Atlantic were led by Emma Little-Pengelly, DUP MLA and deputy first minister of Northern Ireland. Her DUP colleague Gordon Lyons MLA was to the fore in working on Ulster links with the officials in charge of the celebrations for America’s 250th birthday on July 4. The Ulster Unionist health minister Mike Nesbitt was in Washington, as was the education minister Paul Givan. The UUP leader Jon Burrows travelled, as did the DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley and ex DUP MP Ian Paisley Junior.

The News Letter will be reporting much more on the local connection to the coming 250th anniversary, including the News Letter reports of America at the time.

Events kicked off with a Northern Ireland Bureau breakfast on Tuesday,. St Patrick’s morning, at 8am at Union Station in Washington. Then there was a lunch at Capitol Hill in which President Trump mentioned and welcomed Mrs Little-Pengelly in her role as deputy first minister of Northern Ireland. At that lunch, there was an Ulster Scots musical celebration based on the story of the Eagles Wing journey to America. Later, at a shamrock presentation by the Taoiseach at the White House, Mrs Little-Pengelly got a private audience with Mr Trump. On Wednesday there was a St Patrick’s reception at the British ambassador’s residence. Then an Ulster Connection reception hosted by Mr Lyons that night. On Thursday he and Mrs Little-Pengelly paid tribute to the Ulsterman Sir John Dill, who has the rare honour of a statue in Arlington cemetery.

• Ben Lowry, p11