PoliticsDonald Trump Compares Irish Reporter to Sinéad O’Connor After Dodging Protest Question: 'That's a Compliment'
Donald Trump compared an Irish reporter to the late singer Sinéad O’Connor during the Irish Open.
Sept. 20 2026, Published 1:18 p.m. ET
President Donald Trump found a celebrity comparison when an Irish reporter asked about protests against his visit, but not an answer to her question.
The exchange occurred September 13 at the Irish Open, held at Trump International Golf Links & Hotel in Doonbeg, County Clare. Demonstrations had taken place in Dublin, Doonbeg and elsewhere during the president’s two-day trip.
A Protest Question Takes a Turn
The reporter asked Donald Trump about protests against his visit to Ireland.
“Mr. President, did you see any footage of the protest against your visit here in Dublin, and what do you make of that opposition?” the off-camera Press Association reporter asked.
“I don’t know,” Trump replied before pointing toward her and changing the subject.
The president changed the subject after saying the reporter resembled Sinéad O’Connor.
“You know, you remind me of somebody. A very cute Irish singer who passed away recently. You know who that is? Sinéad! You look like Sinéad O’Connor,” Trump said. “That’s a compliment. She sang beautifully.”
Trump mispronounced the late singer’s first name.
The clip drew criticism from social media users who objected to Trump bypassing the question and commenting on the reporter’s appearance.
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Sinéad O’Connor’s Estate Rejected Donald Trump
Sinéad O’Connor’s estate previously rejected Donald Trump’s use of her music at political rallies.
The comparison came with an awkward history. In 2024, O’Connor’s estate demanded that Trump stop playing her 1990 hit “Nothing Compares 2 U” at his political rallies.
The late Grammy winner would have been “disgusted” by the use of her music, the estate said, adding that O’Connor considered Trump a “biblical devil.”
Ireland Trip Keeps Producing Clips
Donald Trump’s Ireland visit produced several viral moments.
The O’Connor moment was only one unexpected sound bite from Trump’s visit.
During a meeting with Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Trump said Irish reunification was inevitable and something he “would love to see,” touching on a politically sensitive issue that fueled decades of violence known as the Troubles.
“I think it would be a great feather in everybody’s cap if that happened. It’s going to happen eventually,” Trump said. Political leaders in Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom quickly rejected his assessment.
Trump also praised Ireland’s hospitality while calling the Irish “the most vicious b-------- I’ve ever done business [with].” He followed that business-world description by insisting “there’s nobody nicer.”
Eric Trump, meanwhile, celebrated son Luke Trump’s ninth birthday in Ireland, complete with a controversial military helicopter ride for the family.
