Trump's merger comments were 'clearly a joke', Little-Pengelly says

The deputy first minister has said a comment made by President Trump in which he appeared to make a joke about Irish reunification should not be taken seriously.

The US president was speaking at an event at the US Capitol on Monday when he referenced a "merger" due to the cordial relationship between Emma Little Pengelly and Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Micheál Martin.

"They get along so well, I saw that you get along very well together, it's the way its supposed to be. I don't know if I should be promoting merger, I love mergers," Trump said.

Little-Pengelly said the comment was just the president's speech giving style.

Asked if Trump's comments represented his support for Irish reunification, Little-Pengelly said: "If you are trying to take that from a bit of a joke by the president, that is really grasping at straws."

She said it was "clearly a joke", adding: "I think a good thing about this is that it shows that he knows about Northern Ireland. He knows about the context of that. He feels comfortable enough to be making that type of joke."

When asked about what she made of Trump's recent criticism of the UK, in particular of his comments when he branded British soldiers fighting in Afghanistan as cowards, the deputy first minister said: "There are many views of the president that I'm not going to agree with."

"That is the case for every president. There are things that he says that have caused hurt and offence," she said.

"He is a democratic leader, appointed president, elected president of the US. And of course, that is to be respected as well. You know, it's not up to us to be telling other places about who they should and shouldn't elect."

Little-Pengelly met Trump at the White House on St Patrick's Day.

She said the meeting was a "really good opportunity to make sure that Northern Ireland was on his radar in a positive way".

"I outlined to him why I am here this week, why Northern Ireland is here this week, represented by so many people," she said.

"I think it was the first time that Northern Ireland's actually had a scheduled, published meeting with the president of the United States.

"It's important for us to be here, to be speaking up for Northern Ireland, to be championing Northern Ireland."

The First Minister and Sinn Féin leader Michelle O'Neill has not made the trip to Washington this year as her party boycotts the St Patrick's Day events over the US administration's policies over the conflict in Gaza.

Asked about this, Little-Pengelly said: "There is agreement that I come here officially as the deputy first minister. My role as deputy first minister is a joint role with the first minister."

"I when I took up this post just a couple of years ago, I had a determination that I would take every opportunity to turn up and to show up and to champion Northern Ireland," she said.

She added: "We're here being ambassadors for Northern Ireland, champions of Northern Ireland, because that's the way to build a better future for everyone from all communities in Northern Ireland."