EX US PRESIDENT, Donald Trump is not going to visit his West Clare hotel later this month.
Clean-ups had commenced across Doonbeg in anticipation of an arrival from the 76 year old but his plans for a two-day visit to West Clare between August 25th and August 30th have been shelved.
A spokesperson for Trump International Golf Links and Hotel confirmed this week, “The visit is not going ahead”. No alternative plans have been made for a future visit, the 45th President of the United States of America has not been in Co Clare since 2019.
Cancellation of his planned visit means the mooted €1m Garda security bill which would have been footed by the taxpayer, will not be incurred.
Question marks had initially been raised over the visit when Shannon Airport had not received notification that his private jet’s arrival when plans for the trip emerged at the end of July.
Further doubts came to light when passports belonging to the New York City businessman were seized by FBI during a search of his Mar-a-Lago property in Florida. He claimed agents “stole my three passports, along with everything else”. The FBI confirmed that agents had taken the passports during the search of Mar-a-Lago on August 8. The US Justice Department has since confirmed that Mr Trump’s passports have been returned to him.
Barack Obama’s distant Offaly cousin, Henry Healy had said he wouldn’t meet Donald Trump on an Irish visit if he was asked to. “I wouldn’t be hungry and I don’t play golf,” he stated. “He is a former President of the United States and so he should be afforded the dignity, courtesy, and respect that that office deserves”.
Trump’s €40m Doonbeg resort has been touted as to host the controversial LIV Golf International Series in 2024. The breakaway series founded by Greg Norman who designed the Doonbeg course in 2002 on 400 acres of breath-taking coastline, is funded by the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia. It had been speculated that Donald could announce plans to bring the event to Doonbeg while he was in Co Clare.
Doonbeg locals have expressed their disappointment with the cancellation of Trump’s visit.
