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US President Trump invited to Northern Ireland Criticism over NI invite to Donald Trump
(about 3 hours later)
The former first and deputy first ministers invited US President Donald Trump to Northern Ireland when he was elected in November. Arlene Foster and Martin McGuinness have been criticised for extending a formal invitation to US President Donald Trump to visit Northern Ireland.
The invitation was made in a letter congratulating him on his election victory, dated 9 November 2016. The former first and deputy first ministers sent a letter to the billionaire tycoon in November, congratulating him on his election win.
Arlene Foster and Martin McGuinness told Donald Trump that he could be "assured of a warm welcome". In it, they said he could be "assured of a warm welcome" in Northern Ireland.
In November, a statement was released in which Mrs Foster and Mr McGuinness congratulated the president-elect. Political rivals have criticised that move, and Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill said it would "now not be appropriate".
But that statement did not include their invitation to President Trump. 'Magnet for companies'
In a joint letter released after the story appeared in The Impartial Reporter, the former first and deputy first ministers described Northern Ireland as a small region with "strong historical, economic and political ties to the United States". The letter from DUP leader Mrs Foster and Sinn Féin's Mr McGuinness was released after its existence was revealed by The Impartial Reporter.
The letter says Northern Ireland has "become a magnet for American companies looking for a European base" and they tell Mr Trump: "Our relationship has proved mutually beneficial for both your great country and our small but dynamic region." In the correspondence, the then ministers described Northern Ireland is a small region with "strong historical, economic and political ties to the United States".
Mrs Foster and Mr McGuinness then wish Mr Trump every success in his new role and extend an invitation to visit. They informed Mr Trump that it has "become a magnet for American companies looking for a European base".
Mrs Foster and Mr McGuinness told him that they "believe that our relationship has proved mutually beneficial for both your great country and our small but dynamic region".
They also wished Mr Trump every success in his new role and extend an invitation to visit.
'Trump's policies wrong'
The invitation was not mentioned in a statement released by the Executive Office in November, but Mrs Foster did confirm in an interview with the BBC at the time that it had been offered.
Mrs O'Neill, who replaced Mr McGuinness as Sinn Fein's leader in Northern Ireland last month, said she believed immigration policies implemented by the US president "are wrong".
"The actions of President Trump since taking office mean that an invitation to visit would not now be appropriate," she said.
"If I was in the Executive Office at this time I wouldn't issue an invitation, and I'm confident that Martin McGuinness wouldn't either."
'Got something right'
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood called for the invitation to Mr Trump be to rescinded.
He said it was "astounding" that Mrs Foster and Mr McGuinness had been "eager to appease a man of his character and sell out their principles so quickly".
The Alliance Party's Stewart Dickson described the invitation as "premature", adding if a visit does happen it should not be an "exercise in toadying and sycophancy".
The human rights organisation Amnesty International has pledged to organise protests if the president does travel to Northern Ireland.
But the Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt backed the invitation, arguing that "on this occasion" Mrs Foster and Mr McGuinness had "got something right in trying to get the leader of the wealthiest nation in the world to visit Northern Ireland".