Donald Trump‘s long-standing ties to Ireland returned to the spotlight this week after a tense security episode at his County Clare golf resort. The luxury golf resort was placed under lockdown on Tuesday after a suspicious discovery prompted a security response. The entire scenario unfolded at a moment when the US president was already under heightened international scrutiny, with the World Economic Forum (WEF) going on in Davos.

The alert was raised on January 21, when staff reported an envelope with a white powder-like substance on its outside. The five-star property was immediately sealed off, and the emergency services carried out the package’s full assessment.

“The package was subsequently deemed safe, and the cordon has been lifted,” a Garda spokeswoman said later in the afternoon. However, the investigations are still going on.

Notably, Eric Trump was set to visit the resort, due to which there was already heightened security. The president’s son has been in Dublin since January 20 to oversee business matters at the resort. As the co-president of the Trump Organization, he was overseeing certain developmental plans at the resort. These included a proposed 13,000-square-foot ballroom to be constructed, replacing existing structures.

The resort has, in recent years, seen a financial spike, with 214% profit in 2024. Now the new projects are meant for the resort’s long-term growth, especially as it will host the Amgen Irish Open this year in September. In 2025, Rory McIlroy emerged as the winner of the event. Hence, the crowd this year is expected to be immense, making Eric Trump’s visit significant.

Hours after Eric Trump left Doonbeg on early Wednesday morning to attend the WEF, the package was discovered.

No link has been established between his visit and the finding of the package, yet the timings of the entire scene have inevitably drawn attention. As per federal records, the security arrangements for Eric’s stay had cost more than $20,000. What’s also interesting is the winter season in Ireland, meaning the resort was closed and had fewer staff with no guests on site. This factor helped Gardai (Ireland’s police) and other forces to contain the situation quickly.

The Trump International Golf Links & Hotel has always been a high-profile venue in Europe. It originally opened as Doonbeg Golf Club in 2002, designed by Greg Norman. Years later, in 2014, it was acquired by Trump for a massive €8.75 million (USD 10.23 M). Since then, his organization has invested more than €40 million (USD 46.7 M) into its redevelopment. The resort is presently valued at $50 M.

Yet, none of these have helped in warding off controversies at the resort.

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Donald Trump’s golf resort has long been a controversial flashpoint

Tuesday’s lockdown at the Trump International Golf Links & Hotel in the Doonbeg resort is just an addition to the latest string of security scares. Back in November 2024, Gardai had launched a high-level investigation four weeks before the US presidential elections. A letter was sent to one of the senior hotel staff, alleging “a serious threat to cause harm.”

Then months later, in February, almost a month after Donald Trump assumed his second term, a bomb threat was phoned into the resort. This again prompted a search with a sniffer dog from Dublin. The phone call seemed like a hoax, as once again, nothing suspicious was located.

But beyond security, perhaps the most notable scrutiny the resort is facing is related to the environment.

Ever since Doonbeg came into being, its development has been constrained to protect the habitat of Vertigo angustior. It is a tiny, legally protected snail found in the surrounding dunes. The resort had signed an agreement that any future development must ensure a “favorable conservation status” for the species.

But with the construction of the ballroom in the resort, which will reportedly hold 320 guests, the issue has resurfaced. Environmental consultants hired by the resort claim that the project will have “no impact” on the snail. Yet the developmental plan is constantly being challenged by Friends of the Irish Environment. Its director, Tony Lowes, has since then warned Donald Trump multiple times.

“Until and unless he meets this condition, no further planning permission can legally be issued by the planning authority,” he argued.