WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump denied Wednesday that he suggested Vice President Mike Pence stay at one of his resorts in Ireland during a European tour this week.

Pence’s decision to stay for two nights at Trump International Golf Links and Hotel in Doonbeg has drawn fire from ethics watchdogs. A top Pence official initially said the decision was partly based on the president’s invitation to stay there.

“I had no involvement, other than it’s a great place,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday. “I don’t suggest anything. I have a lot of hotels all over the place and a lot of people use them because they’re the best.

“People like my product,” Trump added, “what can I tell you?”

Pence chief of staff Marc Short said Tuesday that the vice president stayed at the resort following a suggestion from Trump.

"It's like when we went through the trip, it's like, well, he's going to Doonbeg because that's where the Pence family is from," Short explained. "It's like, 'Well, you should stay at my place.'"

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According to Short, the Trump hotel in Doonbeg was "the one facility that can accommodate" a group with Pence's size and needs.

Short explained that the trip followed "normal protocol" and was approved by the State Department. The vice president plans to pay all family expenses for his mother and sister, Short later added.

Later Tuesday, Pence's office said in a statement that the decision was "solely a decision by the Office of the Vice President" and was "based on the requirement to find accommodations near the Vice President’s ancestral hometown that could satisfy official meetings on both coasts of the Emerald Isle."

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Contributing: Nicholas Wu