DUBLIN \u2013 Donald Trump landed in Ireland under tight security Sept 12 for two days of diplomacy and golf, on a trip that again blurs the lines between his presidency and personal business interests.<\/p>\n
The US president touched down at Dublin airport in his Qatari-gifted plane<\/a> shortly before 8:25 am (3.25pm Singapore time), AFP reporters saw.<\/p>\n At least 4,000 police and other personnel, including snipers, have been mobilised for the visit, in what has been dubbed one of the biggest security operations ever mounted in Ireland.<\/p>\n Thousands of anti-Trump protesters are planning to rally in Dublin, where the US leader will hold separate meetings with Ireland\u2019s taoiseach (prime minister) Micheal Martin and President Catherine Connolly.<\/p>\n Trump is then due to fly to his luxury resort in Doonbeg, on Ireland\u2019s west coast, where some of the world\u2019s top golfers are competing in the Irish Open tournament.<\/p>\n The golf-mad president \u2013 whose relaxed relationship with the game\u2019s rules was documented by sports journalist Rick Reilly in the 2019 book \u201cCommander in Cheat\u201d \u2013 may even award the trophy on Sept 13.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s really just visiting the golf resort he owns and dropping into Dublin for a courtesy visit,\u201d Daniel Geary, a US history professor at Trinity College Dublin, told AFP.<\/p>\n \u201cHe sees little difference between his private interests and his role as president.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018Business\u2019<\/p>\n The 80-year-old billionaire has promoted his family\u2019s golf business unabashedly since returning to the White House<\/a> for his second stint as president in January 2025.<\/p>\n