Ireland and its profits from weight loss drugs attract Donald Trump's attention

Ireland has long benefited from the presence of multinational companies, especially US pharmaceutical giants. One such company is Eli Lilly & Co., which manufactures the active ingredient for its successful weight-loss drugs Mounjaro and Zepbound in Kinsale, Ireland. This industrial presence creates jobs, supports the local economy and contributes to the development of the region. However, this prosperity has caught the attention of former US President Donald Trump, who has suggested that the US should take steps to ensure a "fair" trade relationship.

Trump's criticism has been directed at the fact that Ireland hosts the European headquarters of many US companies, including Apple $AAPL, Salesforce $CRM and Intel $INTC, giving the country a huge trade surplus with the US. If the US were to proceed with tariffs, Ireland would be one of the countries most affected.

Economists warn that the imposition of tariffs would have a significant impact on the Irish economy, as the pharmaceutical…