President Joe Biden has been criticized over remarks about hoping the British government doesn't "screw around" over the Good Friday Agreement.
The off-hand remarks were made as Biden was speaking at a National Committee event in New York on Wednesday about his visit to Northern and the Republic of Ireland to commemorate the 25-year anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.
"I got to go back—not what I had planned on talking about, but I got to go back to Ireland for the Irish Accords, to make sure they weren't—the Brits didn't screw around and Northern Ireland didn't walk away from their commitments," Biden, who is Catholic with Irish heritage, said according to a White House transcript.
The historic Good Friday Agreement deal, which ended decades of violence in Northern Ireland known as The Troubles, created a new power-sharing agreement in the country which allowed Northern Ireland to be part of the United Kingdom.
However, Northern Ireland has been without a functioning government since February 2022 as the unionist party Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) protests against a post-Brexit trade deal known as the Northern Ireland Protocol.
The protocol aims to allow trade to continue between Northern Ireland—which is no longer in the European Union after Britain voted to leave in 2016—and the Republic of Ireland, which is still part of the union, without the need for checks at the border of the two nations but created a trade border in the Irish Sea.
In March, the British government passed a new Brexit deal for Northern Ireland, known as the Windsor Framework, which aimed to significantly reduce the number of checks require by having take place at out at Northern Ireland's ports, rather than the Irish border.
Political figures have now criticized Biden for what they believe is anti-British sentiment with his latest remark, an accusation aimed at Biden during his visit to Northern Ireland in late April. Others said they believe the president is playing up to his Irish heritage to appeal to U.S. voters.
Newsweek reached out to 10 Downing Street via email for comment.
DUP Brexit spokesperson Sammy Wilson told The Evening Standard: "It's unbelievable and frightening as well to think this is the man who is the leader of the free world. If you believe that there should be a special relationship between the U.S. and U.K. then at least show us some respect."
Laurence Robertson, a Tory member of parliament who was the shadow Northern Ireland minister, said: "Northern Ireland is British and Mr. Biden needs to remember that. We should always use moderate, temperate language, especially when we are speaking about other countries we should show respect to those countries."
Former Northern Ireland Secretary Shailesh Vara told The Standard: "This is deeply regrettable that President Biden has to use such language to further his re-election chances in the U.S."
Nile Gardiner, a former adviser to British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, condemned the "disgraceful remarks" by "Britain-hating Joe Biden."
National Security Council spokesperson Adam Hodge said Biden was not attacking U.K. leadership with his recent comments.
"As the president said in Belfast, he deeply appreciates Prime Minister Sunak's leadership in reaching an agreement with the EU on the Windsor Framework and preserving the gains of the Good Friday Agreement," Hodge told Newsweek.
Biden was previously criticized by former DUP leader Arlene Foster after the president displayed the Irish flag on the presidential security vehicle known as The Beast while traveling through Ireland, but not a Union Jack flag in Northern Ireland.
"I hope it's not the case that he does not recognize Northern Ireland's case within the United Kingdom which is, of course, part of the Good Friday Agreement," Foster said, per the Belfast Telegraph. "I think his administration should be asked—It would be very interesting to hear what the administration has to say."
Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was also asked by the BBC if he was concerned about Biden's limited contact with the president while he was in Northern Ireland. In reply, Sunak said that he and Biden had "very good discussions" about a range of issues during his visit.
In a statement, The White House also said that both leaders "reaffirmed their shared commitment to the Good Friday Agreement, marking the 25th anniversary of a landmark agreement that brought peace to Northern Ireland."
Update 05/12/23, 2:19 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment form National Security Council spokesperson Adam Hodge.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Ewan Palmer is a Newsweek News Reporter based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on US politics, domestic policy ... Read more
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
