Sinn Fein leaders have announced they will boycott St. Patrick’s Day events at the White House in protest against US President Donald Trump’s stance on Gaza.

“We are all heartbroken as we witness the suffering of the Palestinian people,” Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O’Neill stated during a news conference in Dublin on Friday.

As First Minister, I’ve decided not to attend the White House events this year.

The US President’s comments on forced expulsion of the Palestinian people of Gaza cannot be ignored.

I will continue to engage with senior figures in the US for peace and economic growth.

In the… pic.twitter.com/033oUqQaGv

— Michelle O’Neill (@moneillsf) February 21, 2025

Trump's recent remarks regarding the mass expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza are “something I cannot ignore," she asserted.

Sinn Fein party leader Mary Lou McDonald emphasized that the decision to skip the White House visit was made after serious consideration. “The decision not to travel to the White House has not been taken lightly, but it is taken conscious of the responsibility each of us as individuals have to call out injustice,” she stated.

Addressing the news conference, McDonald added that she could not travel to Washington “while there was a threat of mass expulsion hanging over the Palestinian people.”

Why it matters

Traditionally, political leaders from both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland visit the US for the annual St. Patrick’s Day celebrations on March 17.

Trump sparked international condemnation earlier this month with his suggestion that the US should "take control" of the Gaza Strip and "relocate" its Palestinian population permanently.

Sinn Fein's decision to boycott the event added pressure on Prime Minister Micheal Martin, who is still expected to meet with Trump at the White House despite not yet receiving a formal invitation.

Ireland has been a vocal critic of "Israel’s" genocide in Gaza and remains one of the European Union’s strongest advocates for the Palestinian cause.