The question of a united Ireland has returned to the centre of political discussion following US President Donald Trump’s recent visit to Ireland, where he publicly said that he would like to see the island reunified. 

During a press conference alongside Taoiseach Michael Martin at Farmleigh House in Dublin on 12 September, Trump said he would “love” to see a united Ireland and suggested that reunification would happen eventually. Later during his visit, he described the prospect of a united Ireland as something that would be “pretty cool”. (RTE) 

The comments attracted as previous US presidents have generally avoided taking a position on Northern Ireland’s constitutional future. The United States played an important role in the Northern peace process, including former US President Bill Clinton’s involvement in the years leading up to the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. 

Trump’s comments were met with criticism from unionist politicians in Northern Ireland. Democratic Unionist Party leader Gavin Robinson said Northern Ireland’s constitutional future should be decided by the people of Northern Ireland rather than by politicians in Washington, Londo or Dublin. The UK Government has also maintained that a border poll is ot currently justified. Under the Good Friday Agreement, a referendum on Northern Ireland’s constitutional status can be called by the UK Secretary of State where it appears likely that a majority would vote for a united Ireland. (Reuters) 

However, recent polling shows that attitudes towards the constitutional question are changing, while also demonstrating that there is no single consensus. 

The 2025 Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey found that 33% of respondents believed Northern Ireland long-term future should be reunification with the rest of Ireland. By comparison, 46% favoured remaining part of the United Kingdom, either through direct rule or devolved government. Around 18–24-year-olds, 42% favoured reunification, compared with 32% among those aged 65 and over. (ARK) 

A separate University of Liverpool Institute of Irish Studies survey conducted in May 2026 found that most respondents continued to favour remaining in the UK. The survy of 1,534 Northern Ireland electors also found that some people’s constitutional preferences could be affected by practical issues such as public services, housing and living standards. (University of Liverpool) 

Another 2026 survey produced a different result when respondents were specifically asked whether they would vote for a “united Ireland in the EU”. In that European Movement Ireland- commissioned survey. 63% of respondents in Northern Ireland said they would vote in favour, compared with 59% in the Republic. However, FactCheckNI noted that the wording and EU focus of the question make it difficult to treat the result as a straightforward prediction of how a future border referendum would be decided. 

Trump’s intervention has therefore brought renewed international attention to an issue that remains politically and socially sensitive on the island. While polling indicates growing interest in constitutional change among some groups, other surveys continue to show significant support for Northern Ireland remaining within the United Kingdom. 

When asked how significant you think Trump’s comments about a united Ireland were, former Political Science student and current local Peace Commissioner, Harry Dean said “Trump is famous for making these bold statements, you have to question how serious he was being or whether he was just looking for a reaction. As we can see though, there is definitely a growing conversation of a United Ireland, as to whether Trump sparked this debate even further or not, only time will tell.” 

The debate is likely to continue, with questions surrounding public opinion, economic arrangements, identity and the practical consequences of reunification remaining central to any future discussion about Ireland’s constitutional future.