Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Gavin Robinson said Trump “knows better than most that elections matter”.
“Northern Ireland’s constitutional future will be decided by the people of Northern Ireland, not by commentary in London, Dublin or Washington,” he said.
He added that Northern Ireland is part of the UK because it is the “settled democratic will of its people” and added he is confident the country will continue to choose the UK.
Former DUP MP Ian Paisley and close friend of the Trump family said: “everyone is allowed a personal opinion even when it’s wrong”.
The Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader Jim Allister said Trump “is not the first US President to meddle in the affairs which don’t concern him”.
“Northern Ireland not a pawn in Trump’s fall out with the UK. Our constitutional future does not depend on him or any other foreign dignitary,” Allister added.
Speaking at the Social Democratic and Labour Party’s (SDLP) annual conference, leader Claire Hanna said she suspected the DUP would be “burning those Trump flags”.
The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) leader Jon Burrows said while America is an “important ally,” Northern Ireland’s future will be decided by its people.
“That is the principle of consent, now enshrined in law through the Belfast Agreement.”
Later, while attending an event at the US Ambassador to Ireland’s residence, Trump said there is “no good answer” to a question about a united Ireland.
Recalling the moment, he said: “Oh that’s a nice question, I have a nice answer, I think, we’ll read about it tomorrow.”
