Sean Whelan

Washington Correspondent

McNally family hoping for closure following sentencing

The wheels of justice grind slowly - but sometimes they go really fast. The sentencing of Marcin Pieciak in New York today was an example of the latter.

Analysis and Comment • 21 Nov

Man jailed for manslaughter of Irish woman in New York

A man has been sentenced to 24 years in prison for the manslaughter of Irish woman Sarah McNally at a bar in Queens in New York last year.

US • 21 Nov

IN FLIGHT - NOVEMBER 14: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to members of press aboard Air Force One on November 14, 2025 while in flight from Washington, DC to West Palm Beach International Airport. Trump is scheduled to spend the weekend at his Mar-A-La

'Gang of Four' firm on Epstein files amid Trump pressure

Republican Congresswoman Lauren Boebert from Colorado is one of the most outspoken pro-Trump figures on Capitol Hill, her sometimes outlandish positions earning her a solid following among the MAGA base.

Analysis and Comment • 17 Nov

Hats for sale on the Brooklyn Bridge in New York

Exhilarating NYC mayoral race goes down to the wire

As voters go to the polls to elect the next mayor of New York City - rarely have municipal politics anywhere in the 21st century been this exhilarating, or attracted so much attention.

US • 04 Nov

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 2: People vote in the mayoral election on the last day of early voting at Southbridge Tower II on November 2, 2025 in the Manhattan borough in New York City. Democratic New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani remains t

Millions of Americans to go back to the polls - sort of

It is election time in the US with four electoral contests that have national significance. RTÉ's Washington Correspondent Sean Whelan looks ahead at what to expect in tomorrow's contests and what it might mean for the Democrats and for the Trump administration.

Analysis and Comment • 03 Nov

US President Donald Trump, wearing a white shirt, red tie and dark suit, shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is wearing a white shirt, navy tie and navy suit. The background is dark.

What now for China-US trade tensions?

While the most important meeting of US President Donald Trump's four-day Asia tour ended with no formal press briefing and no formal deal signing, he insisted that it was "very successful".

Analysis and Comment • 30 Oct

Not much fiction left in current 'rise of the machines'

It was a case of "drones with everything" at the recent Association of the US Army exhibition in Washington: unmanned aerial vehicles were everywhere to be found, reflecting the revolution in warfare that has happened over the past three-and-a-half years in Ukraine.

World • 24 Oct

People participate in a "No Kings" national day of protest in Boston, Massachusetts

'No Kings' protest driven by profoundly American impulse

It's clear the 'No Kings' protests in the US at the weekend were cumulatively very large, and likely bigger than the original 'No Kings' protest in June, so the indications are that the movement is growing, writes Sean Whelan.

Analysis and Comment • 21 Oct