President Donald Trump expressed his desire to see a unified Ireland shortly after arriving in Dublin on Saturday, a sentiment that drew varied reactions from political leaders.

Trump, who met with Irish President Catherine Connolly and Taoiseach Micheál Martin, stated during a news conference that he would "love" to see the unification of the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland, describing the potential outcome as "fantastic."

"I think it would be a great feather in everybody's cap if that happened. You know what? The way I look at it, it's going to happen eventually. It may as well happen now," Trump told reporters following his meeting with Martin.

The partition of Ireland, which separated Northern Ireland from the rest of the island, occurred in 1921. This division followed centuries of conflict between Britain and Ireland. The subsequent period of unrest, known as The Troubles, concluded in 1998 with the Good Friday Agreement. This agreement stipulated that Northern Ireland would remain part of the United Kingdom unless its citizens voted for unification in a referendum.

Trump's remarks were met with opposition from several leaders in Northern Ireland. Democratic Unionist Party leader Gavin Robinson emphasized that Northern Ireland's constitutional future would be determined by its own people. "Northern Ireland's constitutional future will be decided by the people of Northern Ireland, not by commentary in London, Dublin or Washington," Robinson stated on X.

Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows echoed this sentiment, asserting that Northern Ireland is not a "pawn" in foreign political discussions. "Our constitutional future does not depend on him or any other foreign dignitary," Burrows posted on X.

A spokesperson for U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham confirmed that a unity vote was "off the table" earlier this year, reinforcing the current political stance on the matter.

The comments by President Trump highlight the complex and sensitive nature of Ireland's political landscape, where the question of unification remains a deeply debated issue with significant historical and social implications.