Irish PM Comes to Starmer’s Defense During White House Visit

Keir Starmer, right, and Micheál Martin at Fota House in Cork, Ireland, on March 13.Photographer: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images Europe

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By Catherine Lucey, Josh Wingrove, and Hadriana Lowenkron

March 17, 2026 at 5:06 PM UTC

Updated on

March 17, 2026 at 10:35 PM UTC

Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin defended British Prime Minister Keir Starmer after the UK leader was criticized by President Donald Trump for not more fully supporting the war on Iran.

Sitting in the Oval Office alongside the US president, Martin praised Starmer as a leader Trump could continue to work with despite differences over the war and sought to highlight common ground between the US and European allies over keeping Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.