Politics by Numbers is a new series for The Journal where broadcaster, author and spreadsheet stan Gavan Reilly takes a data deep dive into a political point of the week.

AS IF THE European presidency and all of the related security complications weren’t enough, here comes the President of the United States.

Not that Donald Trump will see much of Ireland – or that much of Ireland will see him.

By all accounts, Trump’s forthcoming visit might last for as little as 36 hours, arriving early on Saturday morning and possibly jetting away again at teatime on Sunday. If that plan is what finally emerges, barely four of those hours will be spent in Dublin. The rest will be at Doonbeg.

The Irish Open, for its illustrious proprietor, is a priceless opportunity to showcase his golf resort – and, simply by virtue of his presence, will attract far more attention to the Irish Open than it would otherwise receive.

Trump is a master of the attention economy. Aside from the occasional fairytale – like last year, when Rory McIlroy audaciously claimed victory in a playoff, merely weeks after his career-Slam heroics at Augusta – the Irish Open has struggled in recent years to command the attention many Irish golf fans would like.

A relatively off-Broadway DP World Tour event might struggle to get a mention on ESPN’s Sunday night SportsCenter, particularly on an NFL Sunday.

Trump's Doonbeg hotel will play host to the Irish Open next month. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

But bring Donald Trump to the 18th green to present the winner’s trophy, and it’s a different story: his presence muscles its way into any bulletin and closer to the top of any TV running order.

The visit is thus less a diplomatic mission than it is a marketing minibreak. As with last year’s........

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