US department refuses to clarify ‘trade imbalance' call
The US will 'continue to work on' its economic relationship with Ireland, a US state department spokesman said, while refusing to clarify whether the trade imbalance between the two countries was discussed in a recent high-level call.
It comes after Irish deputy premier Simon Harris said the trade imbalance between the US and Ireland was 'not specifically referenced' in a call with the US secretary of state Marco Rubio.
Mr Harris's account aligned with a readout from the Irish Government about that phone call, which referenced investment in the US but did not mention the trade imbalance.
This appeared to contradict comments from a spokeswoman for Mr Rubio, who said he had discussed 'the US priority to address the US-Ireland trade imbalance' with the Irish foreign affairs and trade minister.
However, the US state department later refused to comment on whether the trade imbalance was directly discussed during the call, despite the reference in the initial statement.
In a comment to the PA news agency on Friday, a spokesman said: 'As a matter of policy, we do not disclose the details of diplomatic discussions.
'The United States values its economic partnership with Ireland, and trade remains an important component of our bilateral relationship that we will continue to work on.'
The discrepancy between Mr Harris's comments and the US's official account of the call caused heightened anxiety around Taoiseach Micheal Martin's upcoming bilateral meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House next week.
Mr Trump's administration has set out an ambition to correct its trade imbalances across the European Union and there is increasing concern over Ireland's exposure to shocks from major policy changes.
Earlier in the week, Mr Trump declared March to be Irish-American Heritage Month.
He said: The United States and Ireland also enjoy a long friendship strengthened by economic ties, a shared commitment to democracy, and the timeless values of faith, family and freedom.
'As my administration works to correct trade imbalances with the European Union, our historic relationship with Ireland presents an opportunity to advance fairer trade policies and stronger investment opportunities that benefit both nations.'
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