Sir, – Pádraig Murphy (July 13th) makes the point: "Is it at all unusual for one country to try to influence the outcome of an election in another? The US engages in this routinely."
Indeed, did not the last Irish government itself do so during last year’s British referendum when it not alone stated that a vote to “Remain” was vital to the Irish national interest, but actively “interfered” in the campaign to try to achieve it?
During the US presidential campaign, The Irish Times, alongside many European liberal newspapers, clearly expressed a preference for a victory by Hillary Clinton.
The then-taoiseach, the German chancellor and other European leaders also made clear their belief that a Donald Trump victory was undesirable.
Does this, not to mention the active involvement of many European groups in the campaign, not constitute “interference” in the election designed to “influence its outcome”?
That the Russian government should prefer a victory by the candidate proposing cooperation with it over the one proposing hostility and confrontation is surely, at the very least, hardly surprising.
Current events in the US are reminiscent of the distasteful activities of the 1950s “House Un-American Activities Committee”. – Yours, etc,
PHILIP O’CONNOR,
Howth, Dublin 13.
Sir, – I suggest that Donald Trump is wishing he was back in a time when children were seen and not heard. – Yours, etc,
FRANK BYRNE,
Terenure, Dublin 6W.
Sir, – It is hard to avoid the conclusion that a lot of the moaning emanating from certain media quarters is down to the fact that their preferred candidate, Hillary Clinton, did not win. It’s time to move on. – Yours, etc,
MARTIN BRENNAN,
Dublin 11.
Sir, – Is it not about time to ignore Donald Trump and any Russian connection? The Republicans are in power, and couldn’t care less if it was Old Nick himself who helped put him in. – Yours, etc,
DAVID MURNANE,
Dunshaughlin,
Co Meath.