Increasingly likely Sinn Féin will not be at White House for traditional St Patrick’s Day celebrations

With just over three weeks to go, it is looking increasingly likely no Sinn Féin representatives will be visiting the White House for the traditional St Patrick’s Day celebrations..

A spokesperson for the party told DerryNow: “No invitation to the White House for St Patrick’s Day has been received but, clearly, President Trump’s comments on Gaza fly in the face of international law and are totally unacceptable.”

Earlier this month, the US President said the two million Palestinians, who he envisaged being ‘resettled’ in neighbouring countries under his plan to take over and rebuild the Gaza Strip would have no right of return to their homeland. 

Sinn Féin faced severe criticism for its decision to travel to the White House last year, in spite of  widespread calls for a boycott of the annual visit in solidarity with the people of Gaza. 

At the time, the party said its President and Vice President, Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O’Neill, were going to Washington “in pursuit of peace”. 

It added: “[Sinn Féin will be] continuing to work with the Irish diaspora and the US representatives to promote and strengthen the support for the peace process at home and Irish reunification.

“We will also advocate for an end to the Israeli genocidal war and occupation in Gaza and the West Bank, for the establishment of a peace process in Palestine and self-determination for the Palestinian people.”

It also remains uncertain whether Taoiseach Micheál Martin will visit the White House on St Patrick’s Day, as it coincides with a possible US government shutdown.

Unless Democrats approve a funding bill by March 14, the day An Taoiseach was expected to visit the White House, the US federal government is facing a full shutdown in March. The Democrats in Congress are opposed to President Trump's proposed overhaul of the federal government and are refusing to agree to the funding bill.

Concerns have been raised about the prospect of a St Patrick’s Day party taking place in the White House if thousands of federal government employees are not paid, and the possibility of the Trump administration cancelling the event. 

The SDLP took the decision last week to turn down any invitation to St Patrick’s Day celebrations in the White House because of President Trump’s stance on Gaza; this is the second year running the party has done so.

Party leader, Claire Hanna said: “People have made their views, their hopes and their fears for the Palestinian people very, very clear. So, I cannot in good conscience go over and pretend that this is normal, it’s just not in line with the SDLP’s values.”

An online petition set up by Catherine Hutton, chair of the Derry branch of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, calling on “All politicians and political parties to Boycott the White House on St Patrick’s Day 2025”, has garnered almost 5,000 signatures. 

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The petition is supported by more than 20 solidarity groups, including, Cairde Palestine; Gaels Against Genocide; Mothers against Genocide; QUB Palestine Assembly; Atrists Against Genocide; and Teachers for Palestine.

It said: “The genocide in Gaza has been livestreamed to the world since October 7, 2023. Conservative estimates put the number of people killed at approximately 68,000 - recent figures published by The Lancet - with over 100,000 maimed and injured Every step of this genocide has been funded and supported by the United States. 

“We call on all political parties on the island of Ireland to listen to the people and not to go to Washington on St Patrick’s Day to shake hands soaked with the blood of Palestinians.”