Taoiseach Micheál Martin had to walk a tightrope in an, at times, agonising meeting with Donald Trump in the White House.
The Taoiseach could barely get a word in as Trump fielded questions from a scrum of journalists squeezed into his office.
The meeting comes on the day the US has imposed 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminium, including from the EU.
The EU has responded with what it says could add up to €26 billion in tariffs.
Those counter measures will be put in place from next month. The EU hopes to negotiate exemptions or a delay with Trump.
Asked about tariffs imposed, then delayed, then reimposed by the US on Canada and Mexico, Trump said “there’s no inconsistency…it’s called flexibility.”
That statement might give Europe some hope, but the president was deeply critical of the EU.
“The European Union has gone after our companies”, said Trump, refering, amongst others to the European Commission forcing Apple to repay €13 billion plus interest to the Irish state,
“I’m not blaming you. I’m blaming the European Union”, Trump told the Taoiseach, sitting next to him.
When it came to tariffs, Trump was asked if he would respond to the EU’s retaliation.
“Of course I’m going to respond…the EU was set up to take advantage of the United States”, Trump claimed.
Including Ireland, he agreed.
“We don’t want to do anything to hurt Ireland, but we do want fairness and he [the Taoiseach] understands that”, Trump said later.
Donald Trump also took aim at Ireland using low taxes to lure US pharmaceuticals to set up in Ireland.
“This beautiful island of Ireland of five million people has got the entire US pharmaceutical industry in its grips.”
Pharma companies in Ireland are doing well, the Taoiseach managed to respond, getting nods from Trump.
“I think there’s room for those companies to grow in America”, Micheál Martin conceded, but Ireland has served them well too he insisted.