Former U.S. National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien sharply criticized Ireland’s growing political split from the United States and its deepening ties to China in a new policy paper from the London-based think tank Policy Exchange.
In the foreword to the report “Peak Ireland? Ireland’s Diplomatic Challenges and the Lessons for the UK,” O’Brien said the Trump administration and the American people “expect better burden sharing from our allies and partners.”
“Much of Europe is stepping up but Ireland contributes almost nothing to the defence of the Atlantic and European regions from which it benefits so much,” O’Brien wrote.
He accused Ireland of using its neutrality as a shield while pursuing policies that run counter to U.S. interests.
“Despite its professed neutrality, Ireland pursues an increasingly activist foreign policy that is marked by its divergence from everything the Trump administration stands for, particularly in the Middle East,” O’Brien said. “Ireland is at the forefront of allegations of genocide against Israel and is historically among the most hostile nations towards Israel in the Western world. Meanwhile, just as it seeks US investment, it cozies up to China with apparently no concern for China’s human rights record.”
O’Brien also criticized Ireland’s low corporate tax regime, saying it “has gained a huge advantage for its own economy by offering sweetheart tax deals for American tech and pharmaceutical companies to leave our shores for theirs.”
The Policy Exchange report, written by researcher Harry Halem, argues that Ireland’s alignment with Washington has eroded as it enjoys favorable tax treatment from U.S. corporations while opposing American foreign policy positions. The study warns that the United Kingdom should avoid Dublin’s mistakes as the Trump administration seeks more reciprocal diplomacy with allies.
“Ireland has long enjoyed a privileged status in Washington, DC,” O’Brien said. “But in an era in which the United States under President Trump is seeking to put the American interest first, the U.S. relationship with Ireland is coming under unprecedented scrutiny.”
The report also links the issue to domestic politics in Ireland, noting that newly elected Irish President Catherine Connolly has previously said the country “certainly cannot trust” the United States, France, and the United Kingdom and accused them of being “deeply entrenched in an arms industry which causes bloodshed across the world.” She also said Hamas is “part of the fabric of the Palestinian people.”
The report concludes that Dublin’s “freeloading” on defense spending and “activist” diplomacy could strain U.S.-Irish relations further under a second Trump administration.
The full Policy Exchange report can be read here.
