Joe Biden sparked a row on Thursday by saying he flew to Ireland recently to make sure “the Brits didn’t screw around” amid a Brexit trade row.
The US president made the comments at a Democratic National Committee Reception in New York where he spoke of his trip to Northern Ireland last month, to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, and then back to his ancestral homeland in Ireland.
In quotes released by the White House, Mr Biden, 80, said: “The basic fundamental values that I find is that most ethnic communities are similar.
“And one of the things — I got to go back — not what I had planned on talking about, but I got to go back to Ireland for the — for the — the Irish Accords, to make sure they weren’t — the Brits didn’t screw around and Northern Ireland didn’t walk away from their commitments.”
Rishi Sunak’s government had hoped to have had power-sharing restored in Northern Ireland for the GFA anniversary but the Democratic Unionist Party refused to take up its seats at Stormont as it remained in a stand-off over post-Brexit trading ties with the rest of the UK.
Some MPs were calling for the GFA to be reworked to resolve the row but Mr Sunak instead struck the Windsor Framework deal with Brussels to ease border checks across the Irish Sea.
Mr Biden faced criticism that he spent less than 24 hours in Northern Ireland before heading south across the border and on Thursday some Tory MPs also expressed disquiet at his “screw around” remark.
Former Northern Ireland Secretary Shailesh Vara told The Standard: “This is deeply regrettable that President Biden has to use such language to further his re-election chances in the US.”
Ex-shadow Northern Ireland minister Laurence Robertson added: “Northern Ireland is British and Mr Biden needs to remember that.
“We should always use moderate, temperate language, especially when we are speaking about other countries we should show respect to those countries.”
However, Simon Hoare, chairman of the Commons Northern Ireland Committee, suggested the president’s comments highlighted concerns in world capitals over the apparent willingness of the Government under Liz Truss and Boris Johnson to flout international law over the Brexit bust-up.
Stressing Britain’s reputation for upholding the rule of law, he said: “If you start to give the impression that there is a flippancy towards that, we should not be surprised if people including our closest geopolitical ally feels the need to check in to make sure all is well.”
But Mr Biden’s comments drew a scathing response from DUP Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson who said: “It’s unbelievable and frightening as well to think this is the man who is the leader of the free world.
“If you believe that there should be a special relationship between the US and UK then at least show us some respect.”
Asked whether the US president’s presence in Northern Ireland had been needed to ensure the Brits did not “screw around,” the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “The Windsor Framework was a culmination of substantive work between the UK and the EU and at its heart the UK priority was always protecting the Good Friday Agreement.
“We have been consistent on that point throughout and we are pleased that between the UK and the EU we have been able to reach an agreement which works for the people of Northern Ireland and for the whole UK.”
Pressed further on the issue and US involvement, he added: “It’s factually the case that it is an agreement between the UK and the EU.”
As part of his brief stopover to Belfast, Mr Biden met with Mr Sunak for tea as he sought to reach out as a “friend” to Unionists in Northern Ireland.
He later said his top priority was “make sure the Irish accords and the Windsor Agreement stay in place and keep the peace” before heading to Dublin.
The President then embarked on a trip across the Republic of Ireland where he toured Carlingford Castle, met with Irish president Michael D Higgins, and visited County Mayo to meet with distant cousins.
Mr Biden also met with Irish premier Leo Varadkar who disputed claims the US president was anti-British.
It was during his tour south of the border where the US President made an awkward gaffe at a pub in County Louth.
At the time, he paid tribute to Rob former Irish rugby international Rob Kearney, who was a member of the team that famously beat New Zealand for the first time ever in a 2016 match played in Chicago.
“A hell of a rugby player,” Mr Biden said at the time, who “beat the Black and Tans” before he corrected himself.
The Black and Tans was the name for part-time officers recruited to bolster Royal Irish Constabulary numbers, many of whom gained a violent reputation during the Troubles.
