Northern Ireland ministers joined a delegation to Washington DC around St Patrick's Day this year. The group included DUP deputy first minister Emma Little-Pengelly, DUP communities minister Gordon Lyons, DUP education minister Paul Givan, Ulster Unionist health minister Mike Nesbitt, Ulster Unionist leader Jon Burrows, and DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley. Buckley covered his own travel costs.

Nationalists and Alliance politicians did not attend the US visit. Sinn Fein explicitly boycotted over US President Donald Trump.

The delegation aimed to promote Northern Ireland as a destination for visits, business, and connections. They hosted a reception attended by US senators and members of Congress. Lyons' visit with officials cost £40,000.

Lyons defended the expenditure based on the event's outcomes and access to information on historical Ulster-America links.