Donald Trump Attempts to Brush Off Humiliating Dublin Street Display That Turns His Larger-Than-Life Image Into a Brutal Punchline He Can’t Escape
US President Donald Trump’s visit to Ireland was met with large protests, with thousands of people taking to the streets to show their opposition to him and some of his policies.
Trump arrived in Ireland on September 12 for a two-day visit that included meetings with Irish leaders and a trip to Doonbeg, County Clare, where the Irish Open was being held at his golf resort.
However, while some people welcomed Trump during the trip, others made it very clear that they were unhappy about his visit. Thousands of protesters marched through Dublin, carrying signs and voicing their opposition to the US president. Demonstrations were also held in Doonbeg and near Shannon Airport.
The protests became one of the major talking points surrounding Trump’s visit. In Dublin, at least 30 groups and political parties were involved in a march that went from Parnell Square towards the area around Ireland’s parliament. Protesters raised concerns about several issues, including US foreign policy and Trump’s leadership.
Trump, however, appeared unwilling to give much attention to the demonstrations.
During an exchange with reporters on September 13, a female journalist asked Trump about the protests against his visit. Instead of directly discussing the demonstrations, Trump changed the subject and commented on the reporter’s appearance.
He told the journalist that she reminded him of somebody before saying she looked like the late Irish singer Sinéad O’Connor.
Trump described the comparison as a compliment.
His comment quickly attracted attention because O’Connor, who died in 2023 at the age of 56, had strongly criticised Trump during her lifetime.
There had also previously been a dispute involving the use of O’Connor’s famous song “Nothing Compares 2 U” at Trump political events. In 2024, her estate demanded that Trump stop using the song at his rallies and said O’Connor would not have approved of her music being used to support him.
Because of that history, some people online found Trump’s comparison of the reporter to O’Connor particularly unusual.
Social media users also questioned whether Trump had deliberately avoided answering the question about the demonstrations. Some critics joked that the protests must have bothered him, while others focused on his description of O’Connor as someone who had died “recently,” pointing out that she died in 2023.
But the street demonstrations were not the only form of protest Trump faced during his visit.
A satirical artwork displayed outside the Teal House Gallery in Dublin also attracted considerable attention.
The sculpture, called “The Trash Talker,” showed a figure of Trump appearing to rise out of a rubbish bin rather than standing behind a presidential podium.
The grey-coloured figure showed Trump with one fist raised in the air and a banana peel placed on his head. Several rubbish bags were positioned around the bottom of the artwork.
The unusual display quickly caught the attention of people walking through Dublin, and pictures and videos of it began spreading online.
According to the gallery, the artwork was intended as political satire and commentary on leadership, power and the way politics can sometimes become a form of public performance.
The gallery also stressed that the artwork was aimed at political leadership and governments rather than ordinary American people.
The sculpture was created by an Irish social-commentary artist known as TinKicker. It had previously appeared at the CAN-AL Festival in St Mullins before being displayed in Dublin around the time of Trump’s visit.
Once pictures of the artwork reached social media, it generated plenty of comments. Some users praised the humour behind the sculpture, while others joked about the banana peel and the decision to portray the US president emerging from a rubbish bin.
The display added another unusual moment to a visit already dominated by political debate, demonstrations and heavy media attention.
Trump’s trip also required a major security operation. Gardaí introduced restrictions in parts of Dublin, Shannon and Doonbeg, while peaceful demonstrations were allowed to take place in designated areas.
Despite the opposition, Trump also received a warmer reception from some people during his time in Doonbeg. His golf resort has economic importance to the local area, and crowds gathered around parts of the Irish Open while he attended the tournament.
This was also not the first time Trump had faced demonstrations during a visit to Ireland. When he travelled there during his first presidential term in 2019, protesters also gathered against him, and the famous “Baby Trump” inflatable appeared in Dublin.
His September 2026 visit once again showed the strongly divided reaction Trump can generate overseas. While some people were interested in his visit and his appearance at the Irish Open, thousands of others used the opportunity to publicly demonstrate against the US president and his policies.
