1. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, US President:
"It's a great honor to have you. Fantastic country.
(Reporter question on Brexit)
I'm not going to comment on Brexit. I can tell you it's a very complex thing that's going on right now, it's tearing the country apart, it's actually tearing a lot of countries apart. And it's a shame that it has to be that way but I think we will stay right in our lane. We're doing fantastically as a country. Our economy is booming, we're the envy of the world. Other economies are not doing well and we're doing record business. So we're very happy about that. And it's really great to have the prime minister of Ireland with us."
++BLACK BETWEEN SOUNDBITES++
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, US President:
"Well I was. It wasn't that I was a supporter, I predicted it was going to happen and I was right. And people laughed when I predicted it. And they won by about two points. And I was standing out on Turnberry and we had a news conference and people were screaming, that was the day before if you remember, I think you were there and people were screaming and I said, 'No I think it's going to happen.' And people were surprised I made the prediction because President Obama made the opposite prediction. And I was right. And I will tell you I'm surprised at how badly it's all gone from the standpoint of a negotiation. But I gave the Prime Minister my ideas on how to negotiate it. And I think you would have been successful. She didn't listen to that and that's fine, I mean she's got to do what she's got to do. But I think it could have been negotiated in a different manner, frankly. I hate to see it being everything being ripped apart right now. I don't think another vote would be possible because it would be very unfair to the people that won, that say what you mean are you going to take another vote. So that would be tough. But I thought it would happen, it did happen and both sides are very, very, you know they're cemented in. So it's a tough situations. It's a shame. Frankly it's a shame. There was no reason for that to happen. They could have had the vote and it should've gone smoothly unfortunately it didn't. Very complicated issue and actually the issue on the border of Ireland. Is one of the most complex points."
President Donald Trump welcomed Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar to the White House for an early St. Patrick's Day celebration Thursday. The day falls on Sunday.
During an Oval Office meeting, Trump weighed in on Britain's ongoing debate over leaving the European Union, saying Brexit is "tearing the country apart."
Trump said he's "surprised at how badly" the negotiation has been handled. Trump, who sees himself as a master deal-maker, says he gave advice to British Prime Minister Theresa May but that she didn't listen to him.
He said both sides are very "cemented in" and called it a "tough situation" and a "shame."
British lawmakers were deciding Thursday whether to seek a delay to Brexit, which is currently scheduled for March 29. May grudgingly granted the vote after Parliament twice rejected her proposed EU divorce deal
Following their Oval Office meeting, Varadkar will head to the Capitol for the annual "Friends of Ireland" lunch hosted by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Trump will dine with lawmakers hours before the Republican-controlled Senate was set to rebuke the Republican president for declaring a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border. The Democratic-controlled House, led by Pelosi, voted easily last month to block the declaration.
Varadkar will return to the White House later Thursday for an annual shamrock ceremony.
