Vance attends annual Friends of Ireland luncheon with Irish Taoiseach

Vice President JD Vance attended the annual Friends of Ireland Capitol Hill luncheon on March 17, 2026, alongside Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin and congressional leaders. The lunch, a diplomatic tradition since 1986, is used to signal the state of U.S.-Irish relations; it came during a period of tension stemming from administration comments critical of Irish immigration policy, requiring diplomatic management to maintain the relationship.