US actions abroad will be the focus of protests in Dublin and County Clare this weekend.
On Thursday a large sand artwork appeared on a beach in Dublin Bay.
The campaign group Uplift carved the words ‘No kings – Gaza Iran Ice’ into the sand.
Washington’s trade policy has been another prominent issue in Ireland, as Trump has expressed unhappiness at the scale of US pharmaceutical manufacturing in the country.
However, tariffs have mostly not been imposed on the sector.
Mullhall, the former Ireland Ambassador to Washington said the economic relationship was “as strong as it’s ever been”.
He thinks the Irish government will approach Trump’s visit with “prudent realism”.
“It’s not possible to expect that a small country, any country in fact, can deflect Donald Trump from any of his purposes or policies.
“Most countries have adopted the strategy of simply trying to ride out the Trump term and hope for more predictable days ahead.
“So I think the government will play it safe and will be above all else, be wanting to avoid any kind of tension or difficulty between themselves and Donald Trump.”
