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Conor McGregor rails against immigration into Ireland during White House visit
CSPAN
US president Donald Trump hosted mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor to the White House in a bizarre meeting on St Patrick's Day - but why is the MMA star currently involved in US politics?
On Monday (17 March), controversial Irish fighter McGregor appeared in the White House Oval Office during a visit to Washington DC, in what Irish politicians have made clear was a personal capacity. It came just days after Trump named McGregor his favourite Irish person.
Ahead of his visit, McGregor posted on X/Twitter: “I land shortly in Washington for the most important meeting of my country’s future.
“I am beyond ready. THE WORLD WILL HEAR IRELAND'S CALL.”
McGregor, who lost a civil rape case in November last year, gushed over Trump’s “inspiring” work ethic as the two made jovial comments about a large map on display that labelled the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, for which McGregor congratulated Trump.
The fighter commented on his own dark green suit and told the president he could get him one if he wanted. McGregor also met Trump’s right-hand man Elon Musk. The three of them posed for pictures along with McGregor’s wife and four children.
The Irishman had earlier descended into an anti-immigration rant in the White House briefing room, claiming to the press that Ireland was on the verge of “losing its Irishness” and was “overrun by immigrants”.
Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin and Deputy Prime Minister Simon Harris were both critical of the meeting, as well as the comments made.
Posting on X/Twitter, Martin said: “McGregor’s remarks are wrong, and do not reflect the spirit of St Patrick’s Day, or the views of the people of Ireland.”
Additionally, Harris said McGregor was not there to represent Ireland and that he “has no mandate to” speak for the country’s people.
Harris said: “It’s for President Trump to invite wherever he wants to his home, and he’s perfectly entitled to do whatever he wishes in relation to who he decides to invite to the White House.
“But let me be very clear, Conor McGregor is not here in the United States representing Ireland or the people of Ireland. He’s here in a personal capacity.
“He doesn’t speak for Ireland. He doesn’t speak for the people of Ireland. He has no mandate to do such.”
It comes after the Trump administration pressured the Romanian government to allow the Tate brothers, who face charges for alleged human trafficking and rape, to travel. The controversial pair have since been able to leave Europe for America.
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