London | Former US president Joe Biden once described Ireland, or at least County Mayo, as “part of my soul”. His successor Donald Trump’s attachment to the land of the shamrock, we learned on Wednesday (Thursday AEDT), is perhaps a little more shallow.

America’s profound cultural, historical and spiritual links with Ireland are traditionally reaffirmed every St Patrick’s Day with a meeting at the White House between the US president and the Irish taoiseach (prime minister).