Hillary Clinton is not immune from misspeaking from time to time when it comes to Northern Ireland.
She raised eyebrows in the past for claiming Belfast's Europa Hotel was "boarded up because of damage from bombs" when she and husband Bill Clinton stayed there in 1995.
The hotel had completed an £8million refurbishment in 1994 - a year before the US president and first lady arrived.
Read more: Brendan Hughes: Arlene Foster role in DUP panel reveals Windsor Framework strategy
And Mrs Clinton's latest dip into Northern Ireland politics could be chalked off as another gaffe.
As Stormont leaders flocked to Washington DC for St Patrick's Day events, the former US secretary of state suggested DUP MLAs opposed to the Windsor Framework should resign and allow others to form a new Stormont government.
Mrs Clinton said all the parties have been "elected to serve the people of Northern Ireland".
"They should either form a government or they should resign and let someone from their party who is willing to be part of a new government move forward," she told the BBC.
Mrs Clinton's remarks appear to lack an understanding of the dynamics at play as the DUP continues to mull over the UK and European Union's new deal on Brexit's Northern Ireland Protocol.
The idea of DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson stepping down to allow someone else to lead the party back to Stormont power-sharing is fanciful.
It is also ignorant of how Sir Jeffrey has given a more measured response to the Windsor Framework in comparison to some of his more hardline Eurosceptic party colleagues.
The DUP leader is a self-described committed devolutionist. If anyone is able to steer the party towards resuming devolved government, Sir Jeffrey is among those best placed to achieve it.
But the party is clearly trying to navigate a path that avoids triggering a split within the party and among unionists at the polls.
A DUP leadership contest at this time would simply plunge Stormont into an even deeper stalemate.
Rather than speeding up a DUP return to power-sharing, the pointed comments of Mrs Clinton and other US political figures are likely to be counterproductive.
Sir Jeffrey will not want to be seen as bowing to pressure from the likes of US Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer, who told an Ireland Fund gathering: "I say to all parties in the north, but especially the DUP, let's get to the people’s business."
The DUP leader slapping down the speech by saying "read some history books" will play well with supporters as the party keeps one eye on perceptions at home.
While the US administration wants Stormont restored ahead of President Joe Biden's visit next month to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, the DUP has no such deadline.
Sir Jeffrey said he has not faced "any pressure" from Washington and people have been "very understanding" of his party's desire to seek further assurances on the Windsor Framework.
The DUP leader has pushed back making a decision until at least the end of March after setting up a panel to gauge opinion on the UK-EU deal on Irish Sea trading arrangements.
However, the first real test comes next week when MPs are due to vote on legislation that would give effect to the "Stormont brake" veto mechanism within the Windsor Framework.
Sir Jeffrey may be relaxed about engagements in the US, but the longer the DUP's Stormont boycott continues, the more pressure will build on him to make a crucial decision.
READ NEXT:
Brendan Hughes: NI secretary offers DUP new escape route on Windsor Framework
Brendan Hughes: Stormont talent pool drained as NI Protocol stalemate drags on
NI Protocol deal analysis: Focus shifts to DUP as Windsor Framework is agreed
Brendan Hughes: Row over NI centenary stone raises questions for Stormont parties
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.
