President Donald Trump has welcomed Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny to the White House ahead of the annual St Patrick's Day celebrations.
Kenny's car pulled up to the West Wing this morning and he was greeted by the president.
"I really love Ireland," Trump said as the two briefly posed before reporters in the Oval Office. ' Kenny joined Vice President Mike Pence for breakfast at the Naval Observatory earlier in the day and will attend a luncheon at the US Capitol and a White House reception this evening.
At the breakfast, Kenny, who has said he will discuss Brexit and immigration policies with Trump, said "Ireland and the EU will never be but a friend to the United States."
Earlier this year, Trump said Britain's decision to leave the European Union would "end up being a great thing" and predicted the bloc would continue to break apart. The comments echoed Trump's rhetoric during his presidential campaign.
Kenny will be the first EU politician to meet with Trump after British Prime Minister Theresa May. German Chancellor Angela Merkel was scheduled to come to the White House on Tuesday, but that visit was moved back to Friday because of the snow.
The St Patrick's Day White House event dates back to the 1950s and has become an important standing engagement for Ireland, which has strong emotional and ancestral ties to the United States.
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