‘I think you have relationships with friends that sometimes are better than at other times,’ said Andrew Puzder, speaking in Dublin

US Ambassador Andrew Puzder (AP)

US Ambassador Andrew Puzder (AP)

The US ambassador to the EU says that Ireland’s relationship with the US ”could have been damaged” by recent comments from President Catherine Connolly and government politicians over US action in Iran.

He also took aim at Europe’s “over-regulated” economy as he meets Irish state officials to lobby for US positions ahead of Ireland taking on the EU presidency in July.