Enda Kenny rejects Farage claim he should apologise to Trump

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has rejected a claim by former Ukip leader Nigel Farage that he should apologise to US president Donald Trump for calling him a racist.

Mr Kenny, who is due to meet the president at the White House on Thursday, denied Mr Farage's claim he had said "vile things" about Mr Trump.

Last May, Mr Kenny accused Mr Trump, then one of the candidates for the Republican presidential nomination, of using “racist and dangerous” language.

Pressed on the issue by reporters in Washington on Wednesday, the Taoiseach said: “I did not refer to the person, the now president, as being racist. My comment was in respect of his language. Language and words can be used by people in many regards. My comment was when he was running as a candidate in respect of the election to be held.

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“ The language that was used on that occasion [by Mr Trump] was in my view not the language that I would use, but it was not related to his personality,” Mr Kenny told reporters.

"I haven't come to America to answer to Nigel Farage. I am proud and privileged to be the leader of the Irish Government. I'm responding to an invitation sent by the president of the United States."

‘Wasting his time’

Earlier, Mr Farage said Mr Kenny was “wasting his time” visiting the White House because of his comments about the president.

"Let's hope that the first thing he does is apologise to Donald Trump for saying vile things about him consistently during the campaign," the former Ukip leader told RTÉ radio. "I think that might be a good starting point. Because Trump won't have forgotten that.

The Taoiseach will become the first EU leader after British prime minister Theresa May to meet Mr Trump during a series of engagements in the White House on Thursday.

They begin with a breakfast at the residence of the vice-president, Mike Pence, before Mr Kenny travels to the White House for a meeting with Mr Trump in the Oval Office. Mr Kenny and his wife, Fionnuala, will then attend the Speaker's Lunch on Capitol Hill with House speaker Paul Ryan and Mr Trump.

The annual shamrock ceremony and reception will take place in the afternoon in the White House, before a reception in the evening.