Trump directly contradicts Pence claim he told him to stay at his golf course: 'People like my product, what can I tell you?'

US president 'suggested' deputy stay at his resort in Ireland, vice-presidential aide insists

Donald Trump has directly contradicted Mike Pence by claiming he never suggested to his vice-president that he stay at one of his private golf resorts during an official trip to Ireland.

Mr Pence drew criticism earlier this week when it emerged he was staying at the Trump International Golf Club in Doonbeg, despite the majority of his duties taking place nearly 180 miles away in Dublin.

Marc Short, the vice-president’s chief-of-staff, later said the idea was the US president’s.

"I don't think it was a request, like a command ... I think that it was a suggestion," Mr Short told reporters on Tuesday. "It's like when we went through the trip, it's like, well, he's going to Doonbeg because that's where the Pence family is from," Mr Short said before paraphrasing Mr Trump. "It's like, 'Well, you should stay at my place'."

But on Wednesday, Mr Trump said he had had “no involvement” in Mr Pence’s travel arrangements.

“It’s a great place, it’s Doonbeg, I own it, it’s in Ireland, it’s beautiful, it’s wonderful, and he had, his family lives there, which is really amazing,” Mr Trump said during a bizarre media briefing in which he was also forced to deny he doctored a hurricane map.

“Mike – his family has lived there for many decades, in fact one of the first things he said to me is that he knew I had this terrific place in Doonbeg, in Ireland, and he said to me, ‘You know my family lives in Doonbeg, meaning in that area, in that certain area, it’s a beautiful area in Ireland, but from what I understood he was going there.

“Then I heard he was going there, but I, I didn’t, it wasn’t my idea for Mike to go there. Mike went there because his family’s there. That’s my understanding of it.”

Pressed by a White House reporter on whether he had suggested Doonbeg, Mr Trump responded, “No I didn’t – I don’t suggest anything, I don’t suggest it”, before adding: “People like my product, what can I tell you? Can’t help it.”

Critics have accused the Mr Pence of corruption by electing to use public funds to enrich his boss’ private business, rather than use one of the hundreds of hotels in the Irish capital. Mr Pence instead flew to and from Dublin on Air Force Two.

Though Mr Pence’s office admitted the Trump Organization was being paid to host the vice-president, Mr Short said he had no cost estimate for the trip.