Sinn Féin will not attend St. Patrick’s Day events at the White House this year.
The party issued a statement, reading “the situation on the ground in Gaza and the West Bank remains dire, and the reality is that for all of the talk of a ceasefire, Israeli attacks on Gaza have not ended; the genocide continues, civilians are still being killed, homes are still being struck and families who have already lost everything continue to live under fire.”
The party stated “peace in Palestine must mean the end of occupation, the end of apartheid-like systems of control and the full realisation of a sovereign Palestinian state.”
They cited the Good Friday Agreement as an example of how “it is possible to move out of conflict into a permanent peace. A better future for the people of Palestine and the people of Israel is possible. Peace is possible. Justice is possible.”
“It is important that the eyes of the international community remain focused on what is happening in Palestine, and it is important that Sinn Féin uses its voice to demand that international law is upheld and peace and justice prevail.”
The party stressed “the ties between the people of Ireland and the United States are of key importance. Sinn Féin has deep and enduring bonds that go back decades with those in the United States who played a key role in the peace process and in the campaign for Irish reunification. Sinn Féin will continue that work with senior representatives on Capitol Hill, the trade union movement, business leaders, Irish American organisations and the diaspora.”
In 2024, the party received major criticism from politicians to its left after party leadership made the decision to visit the White House despite the ongoing Israeli invasion of Gaza.
In 2025, and with the re-election of Donald Trump (as well as a mending of fences with its left-wing base), the party did not attend St. Patrick’s Day events in the United States.