Brexit and strengthening Irish-American relations will dominate today’s meeting between Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and US President Donald Trump at the White House.
They will hold a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office, before the annual St. Patrick’s Day Celebration reception and shamrock presentation ceremony.
The Taoiseach has a packed schedule today in Washington, with two trips to the White house, a breakfast with the Vice president, lunch on Capitol Hill and the annual bowl of shamrock ceremony.
All eyes will be on the Oval Office, where he will hold a bilateral meeting with Donald Trump.
Brexit will be raised, with the Taoiseach saying he intends to raise any future trade deal between the US and the UK and urging no trade deal be done with the UK that would ever undermine the peace process.
He will also raise the plight of the undocumented Irish in America.
Before that, Leo Varadkar will attend a breakfast with US Vice-President, Mike Pence.
Mr. Pence, who has been criticized for his controversial views on LGBT issues, last year extended an invite for both the Taoiseach and his partner, Matt Barrett to visit his Washington residence.
That’s an invite the couple are taking up this morning.
"He's going to be at the breakfast tomorrow, he was able to get the time off work and make the journey so he'll be taking up the invitation from Mike Pence," Mr Varadkar said.
