Overview

• Sinn Féin leaders Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O'Neill announced they will not attend the White House's St. Patrick's Day events, citing opposition to President Trump's Gaza policy.
• Trump's proposal involves removing Palestinians from Gaza and redeveloping the region under U.S. control, which he described as creating the 'Riviera of the Middle East.'
• McDonald and O'Neill emphasized their decision as a moral stand against the 'mass expulsion' of Palestinians and urged Irish leaders to voice opposition to Trump's comments.
• Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, who plans to attend the event, criticized Sinn Féin's boycott as political posturing and stressed the importance of U.S.-Ireland relations.
• The boycott highlights longstanding Irish support for Palestine and Sinn Féin's historical ties to the Palestinian cause, drawing both domestic and international attention.