Sinn Fein's boycott of events in Washington, DC is seen as a move to position First Minister Michelle O'Neill for an Irish presidential bid, according to the leader of the DUP. Sinn Fein announced the boycott in response to US President Donald Trump's suggestion that Israel would turn Gaza over to the US for redevelopment, potentially leading to the mass displacement of Palestinians. DUP leader Gavin Robinson criticized Sinn Fein's decision, questioning why they attended events in Washington last year during the conflict in Gaza. He suggested that Sinn Fein's boycott is a political manoeuvre to appeal to the left ahead of the upcoming Irish presidential election.