Joe Biden set for trip to N Ireland for 25th anniversary of Good Friday Agreement

Joe Biden said he intends to visit Northern Ireland after being invited to mark the anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

The US president was speaking after Rishi Sunak formally invited him to make the trip to mark the 25th anniversary in April as the pair held talks in San Diego.

As the pair met in Point Loma naval base, Mr Biden said: “It’s my intention to go to Northern Ireland and the Republic.”

Mr Sunak told the president: “I look forward to our conversations and also importantly, to invite you to Northern Ireland, which hopefully you will be able to do and so we can commemorate the anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

“I know it’s something very special and personal to you. we’d love to have you over.”

Mr Biden said: “Twenty-five years? It seems like yesterday.”

Rishi Sunak also dampened any hopes that he could get Joe Biden to reopen negotiations on a post-Brexit free trade deal with the US.

During his visit to San Diego, the Prime Minister told GB News: “America is always, and has always been for a long time, our closest economic relationship, it’s our single biggest trade partner.

“Trade, actually, with America grew last year by 15% already. All of that is happening without a free trade agreement.

“There’s lots of different things that we are co-operating with America on when it comes to economic matters, particularly economic security.”

Asked then if the trade deal is off the table, he said: “It’s just people should actually know that our relationship with America economically is very strong, our exports are growing massively anyway and we’re concluding agreements with states.”