President Joe Biden, Speaker Mike Johnson and Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar met at the Capitol for an annual lunch celebrating the relationship between the U.S. and Ireland Friday afternoon.
The group, all sporting green ties for the occasion, were greeted by servers carrying pints of Guinness and other Irish refreshments.
Bagpipe players also mulled about the area setting a joyous tone in the Capitol.
The annual lunch came after a White House meeting between Biden and Varadkar where the Irish prime minister expressed his desire to see an lasting ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.
The two then traveled down Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capitol to meet Republican Speaker Mike Johnson, who threw cold water on a stand down in February, saying ‘Hamas will not respect a cease-fire.’
President Joe Biden (C) and Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar are greeted by Speaker Mike Johnson (Second from right) after arriving to the U.S. Capitol
The leaders arrived to the Capitol to celebrate the traditional St. Patrick’s Day Friends of Ireland luncheon
The trip to Capitol Hill follows a meeting between Biden and Varadkar in the Oval Office
Speaker Mike Johnson host Biden and Ireland leader Leo Varadkar for the annual Friends of Ireland luncheon at the Capitol
‘We need a ceasefire as soon as possible to get food and medicine in, to get the hostages out,’ Varadkar said to Biden. ‘We need to talk about how we can make that happen and move towards a two-state solution.’
Biden agreed with Varadkar on the ceasefire, despite his latest position being that he would support a temporary six-week ceasefire, not a permanent one like the Irish leader is pushing for.
Still, despite the apparent divergence on foreign affair strategy, Johnson warmly welcomed Biden and Varadkar to the annual Friends of Ireland Luncheon hosted by the Speaker on Capitol Hill.
The lunch is just one of the several annual events hosted around St. Patrick’s Day to honor the relationship between the U.S. and Ireland.
In the Capitol, the leaders dined in the paneled Rayburn Room, sitting just feet away from the House floor.
Servers for the event had pints of Guinness and other refreshments at the ready to greet attendees.
Bagpipe players also mulled about the area.
As large groups of tourists roamed under the Capitol dome they appeared oblivious that the President was just down the hall eating lunch.
Biden speaks at the annual Friends of Ireland lunch
Speaker Mike Johnson host Biden and Ireland leader Leo Varadkar for the annual Friends of Ireland luncheon at the Capitol
Biden agreed with Varadkar Friday that a ceasefire must occur in the Israel-Hamas war, but Johnson has remained skeptical a stand down could work
U.S. President Joe Biden shakes hands with Ireland’s Taoiseach Leo Varadkar as they meet in the Oval Office Friday morning
The Congressional Friends of Ireland dates back to the early 1980’s when Irish-American Sens. Ted Kennedy, Daniel Moynihan and House Speaker Tip O’Neil founded the group to promote peace between Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Notable lawmakers like House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul and Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., the current longest serving Democrat in the House, were in attendance.