The Taoiseach has denied he is softening his language about Gaza when speaking to US audiences.
Leo Varadkar is in Washington DC for the annual St Patrick's Day celebrations.
He will raise the conflict in Gaza when he meets US President Joe Biden tomorrow.
Mr Varadkar said is not softening his tone on the trip.
"Just to be very clear: there's nothing I wouldn't say here that I wouldn't say back home - or vice versa," he said.
"But I think anytime you speak to any audience or anytime you go anywhere in the world, you have to get the tone right and you have to tailor the message for the audience," he added.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar presents US President Joe Biden with a bowl shamrocks during a St Patrick's Day reception at the White House, 17-3-23. Image: dpa picture alliance / AlamyThe White House has said the Taoiseach and President Biden will "reaffirm the close and enduring partnership between the United States and Ireland and the extraordinary bonds between our people".
"They will discuss our countries' shared commitment to continue supporting Ukraine in the face of Russia's brutal aggression, as well as our coordination on a range of other global issues, including the Middle East," a statement said.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said they will also will reaffirm "steadfast support" for the Good Friday Agreement and welcome the recent restoration of the Stormont Assembly.
US Vice-President Kamala Harris and her husband Douglas Emhoff will host the Taoiseach and his partner Matthew Barrett for breakfast in the morning.
Killed waiting for supplies
More than 31,184 Palestinians have been killed and 72,889 injured in the Gaza conflict, according to the local health authorities.
It comes as UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said that at least 12,300 youngsters have died in the enclave in the last four months, compared with 12,193 globally between 2019 and 2022.
He reiterated repeated international calls for an immediate ceasefire, where intense Israeli bombardment in response to Hamas-led attacks in Israel on October 7th has levelled entire neighbourhoods.
There were reports on Thursday that Palestinians were killed and injured while waiting for supplies in Gaza City.
Six Palestinians are believed to have died in the incident and 83 more were wounded as they waited for aid trucks to arrive at the Kuwait Roundabout, according to news reports.
The development came after UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths condemned the bombardment yesterday of a warehouse and food distribution centre in southern Rafah which killed at least one employee of UNRWA.
Reporting by Shane Beatty in Washington DC
