DOMINANT ANGLE
Rome sees Trump's departure as the trigger for a British institutional crisis, between unionist fury and an unprecedented independentist summit in Cardiff.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
KEY POINTS
- 01
On Saturday, September 12, in Dublin, after meeting with Micheál Martin, Trump judged that a unified Ireland would be "una cosa fantastica", a statement repeated on Sunday with "prima o poi accadrà".
- 02
The same day, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland held an unprecedented summit in Cardiff, according to the Telegraph, to build a common position on self-determination and potential referendums.
- 03
A spokesperson for Andy Burnham, quoted by ANSA via the Guardian, maintained the government's position, recalling the lack of "sostegno maggioritario dell'opinione pubblica" for a new referendum in Northern Ireland.
ANALYSIS
Rome, Monday, September 14, 2026. The Italian press sees Donald Trump's Irish escapade as less of a diplomatic statement and more of an institutional earthquake inflicted on the United Kingdom. On Saturday, September 12, in Dublin, after his meeting with Prime Minister Micheál Martin at Farmleigh House, the American president deemed a reunified Ireland "una cosa fantastica". He reiterated on Sunday that reunification "prima o poi accadrà" — will happen sooner or later —, refusing for the time being to comment on Scotland, before heading to his Doonbeg golf course for the Irish Open. Adnkronos notes that this comment comes with "un tempismo che può apparire almeno curioso", at a time when Cardiff was hosting an unprecedented summit bringing together Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Irish leaders, all independence supporters, to outline a common position on self-determination and the hypothesis of constitutional referendums.
La Repubblica, whose special correspondent is covering the visit from Dublin, describes a United Kingdom that "trema" and recalls that Trump's remarks "scatenano polemiche e riaccendono il dibattito su un referendum per la riunificazione, come chiede Sinn Féin", while also highlighting the "furia dei protestanti" who denounce a maneuver likely to "distruggere il Regno Unito".
On the British side, Downing Street is not backing down: according to ANSA, which relays the Guardian, a spokesperson for Andy Burnham reaffirmed that the government's position remains unchanged, the prime minister having recalled on Wednesday before parliamentarians that he sees "alcun sostegno maggioritario dell'opinione pubblica" for a new Northern Irish referendum.
The Italian press also notes the mix of genres accompanying the tour: Libero Quotidiano emphasizes that the visit illustrates "la sovrapposizione tra gli impegni ufficiali di Trump e i suoi interessi personali", while La Repubblica dedicates an article to the battle waged by an architect, on behalf of a rare snail, against the extension of a ballroom in the Doonbeg complex. Martin, for his part, hailed an economic and sporting relationship "mai andata così bene", evoking the golf tournament as a symbol of a bilateral relationship that has never been better — a contrast that Italian editorial offices highlight with the institutional crisis climate that is opening up in London.
SOURCES (4)
- AdnkronosMEDIUM
- Libero QuotidianoMEDIUM
