US Vice President Mike Pence meets with Irish Prime Minister Minister Leo Varadkar at Farmleigh House, Dublin, Ireland, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2019.
The Irish government has repeatedly said it respects the UK's decision to leave the European Union, but that it took more than two years to negotiate a withdrawal agreement and that it could not be re-opened.
He said Ireland and the United Kingdom had decided "to travel a different course" which brings a number of risks.
"All I face is ridicule from people who maybe don't understand the crossroads we are at in the world at the moment".
He has face criticism in the past over his views on abortion and LGBTQ rights; however, White House Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deer said the meeting proves he is not "anti-gay".
He said Pence was "personally paying" for his sister and mother's expenses, according to a reporter traveling with the vice president.
They were greeted at Áras an Uachtarain by Mr Higgins and his wife, Sabina.
He has family connections in County Clare. "The United States will look to play whatever helpful role we can play among our friends in achieving that objective".
Talking in Shannon on Monday, she mentioned: "Mike Pence shouldn't be honoured".
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The vice-president had lunch with Mr Varadkar and his partner Matthew Barrett, as well as Mr Varadkar's parents.
Marc Short, chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence, defended Pence's choice of lodging - a Trump-owned property more than an hour's flight from Dublin, where his meetings are taking place - saying that President Donald Trump merely "suggested" that he stay there.
The Vice President and his family will be staying at the Trump Resort in Doonbeg for the duration of their stay.
Meanwhile, protesters will dance outside the Dáil this afternoon to protest the American's arrival.
Mr Pence is also not without controversy. Pence has called same-sex marriage a sign of "societal collapse" and opposed expanding hate crimes to include sexual orientation and gender identity.
While Pence heeded Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar's message that Brexit can not undermine Northern Ireland's 1998 Good Friday peace agreement, he also added his backing to Johnson whom U.S. President Trump has praised warmly.
But then Trump canceled his planned visit to Poland because of Hurricane Dorian, and asked Pence to take his place.
Mr Pence spoke ahead of his visit about looking forward to celebrating his Irish roots.
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