Mark Carney didn’t invent it in his myth-busting Davos speech but if Carlsberg did words, that’s how it would do it. [ Denis Staunton: Western politicians’ complaints about Jimmy Lai’s punishment carry little weightOpens in new window ]That’s pragmatism in a nutshell. Every single one demands a Canadian-style recalibration of our relationship with the Trump White House. With great deliberation, this White House has shattered all courtesies, civilised norms and traditions. The presentation of shamrock to the White House, a tradition that began as an Irish effort to improve US-Irish relations after the second World War, is now about as symbolic as a Melania meme coin.

Source: The Irish Times February 11, 2026 13:50 UTC