Former DUP MP Ian Paisley has claimed that he has “the best black book in Northern Ireland” and revealed that he is “content” no longer working in the world of politics.
He also opened up about the “peculiarities” of US President Donald Trump, claiming most world leaders are the same.
“You tell me a politician that isn’t peculiar at times,” he told BBC’s Sunday Politics during an event he was attending in Washington DC.
The former North Antrim politician made a rare public appearance on Thursday at the Ned’s Club gathering attended by business leaders in the US city, ahead of the St Patrick’s Day celebrations which were hosted by the White House last week.
Speaking about life after politics he said he is “content” in his new role as businessman, after he failed to retain his seat in the recent Westminster elections – a seat which has been held by the Paisley family for more than 50 years.
“I’m in private business now and there are some important connections I have, and I probably have the best black book in Northern Ireland,” he said.
Read more
“I’m engaged with that and I’m finding it very enjoyable, I am in content in all things, and always have been.”
During the interview, Mr Paisley also spoke about Mr Trump – someone he has famously described in the past as a “good friend”.
President Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on the EU to balance a “massive” trade deficit and signalled he would impose a 200% tariff on EU alcoholic drinks – a day earlier he criticised the EU for not buying more cars from the US.
Mr Paisley suggested that it may not come to this if “people stay calm on it”.
“The bark may be worse than the bite, I don’t think it will come to a 200% tariff on Irish products but there is a negotiation to be had,” he said.
“People should stay calm on it and you need to react to Donald Trump the way he needs to be reacted to and that’s not about being angry but about talking through the reasons of the numbers and the benefits to America.
“His strategy is about keeping people on his toes and he’s getting what he wants.
“Look at how he’s handled the situation in Ukraine, now everybody is seeing him as talking about a peace deal not a war deal.
“He has a strategy in this and it’s working for him but it could be upsetting for us and we need to be very careful.
“That’s why I think Micheál Martin is being very cautious and respectful in his approach to the President and our Prime Minister being very respectful and indeed playing the ‘King’ card.
“All of that is very important to get out of this the best deal possible for Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom.”
The former DUP MP said that he hopes to “find a way to work” with Donald Trump as most politicians “have their peculiarities”.
Earlier this year Mr Paisley flew out to the US to attend his inauguration.
“We have to deal with people as we find them,” he added.
“You don’t get to choose the character of the people we have to work with, but we do have to have the grace and dignity to be able to work with different types of characters, understand their psyche and maybe find something of common ground to be able to work together.
“By golly, hasn’t that worked out sometimes for the better in Northern Ireland?
“Hopefully we can find that with Donald trump and with others.
“You tell me a world leader that doesn’t have peculiarities, you tell me a politician that isn’t peculiar at times.
“We have got to work together and when we work together, we hopefully get a result.”