Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Conor McGregor has arrived at the White House where he is expected to meet US president Donald Trump.
The White House posted video on its account on social media platform X showing Mr McGregor walking out the door and saying “Happy Paddy’s Day, America”. He later spoke to reporters in the White House press briefing room, and press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed his meeting on Monday with Mr Trump.
Mr McGregor raised the issue of immigration during his comments, and said “Ireland is at the cusp of potentially losing its Irishness”.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin later rejected Mr McGregor’s remarks. In a post on X, he said: “St Patrick’s Day around the world is a day rooted in community, humanity, friendship and fellowship.
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“Conor McGregor’s remarks are wrong, and do not reflect the spirit of St Patrick’s Day, or the views of the people of Ireland.”
Tánaiste Simon Harris, speaking in New York, said Mr McGregor is not representing Ireland, and has “no mandate” to speak for the people of Ireland, during his visit.
Mr McGregor posted on X overnight that he would land shortly in Washington “for the most important meeting of my countries [sic] future. I am beyond ready. The world will hear Ireland’s call.”
Last week, Mr Trump said Mr McGregor is “great” when asked who his favourite Irish person is during his Oval Office press conference with the Taoiseach.
In recent years Mr McGregor suggested he might contest the upcoming presidential election and has embraced the image of a populist in the mould of Trump, espousing anti-immigrant sentiment, while claiming to speak for those left behind by establishment politics.
Speaking to reporters in the White House he claimed that “Ireland is at the cusp of potentially losing its Irishness”.
Mr McGregor said: “I’m here to raise the issues the people of Ireland face. It will be music to the people of Ireland’s ears. Never on the main stage has the issues the people of Ireland faced been spoke.”
He claimed the Government “has long since abandoned the voices of the people of Ireland and it’s high time that America is made aware of what is going on in Ireland. What is going on in Ireland is a travesty”.
He accused the Government of “zero action with zero accountability” and claimed: “Our money is being spent on overseas issues that is nothing to do with the Irish people.”
Mr McGregor added: “The illegal immigration racket is running ravage on the country”, and claimed “There are rural towns in Ireland that have been overrun in one swoop, that have become a minority in one swoop, so issues need to be addressed and the 40 million Irish Americans need to hear this because if not there will be no place to come home and visit.”
Earlier he said “Ireland and America, we are siblings. We consider America our big sibling. It’s important for Ireland to be a peaceful, happy, prosperous country for the 40 million Irish Americans to have a place to visit, to come back to their home so we wish for our relationship with the United States to continue and we wish to be taken care of by the big bro.
“The United States should look after its little bro. And how I feel with Ireland and America.”
During his visit, Mr McGregor posed for pictures with US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.
Trump ally and billionaire owner of X Elon Musk later posted a clip of Mr McGregor’s remarks about immigration.
Mr McGregor is known in the United States for his successful MMA career and the drinks companies he founded, Black Forge stout and Proper 12 whiskey.
In Ireland, his appeal aimed at overturning a civil jury’s finding that he raped Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel will come before the Court of Appeal later this week. Mr McGregor is expected to argue the jury finding in the original civil case is unsafe and should be overturned, with a retrial ordered if necessary.
The appeal is listed for March 21st before the three-judge appeal court for the purpose of making directions to progress it. If the sides are ready to proceed, a hearing date could be fixed within the next few months.
Last November, a High Court civil jury awarded €248,603 damages to Ms Hand against Mr McGregor after finding she was assaulted by him in the Beacon Hotel in Sandyford on December 9th, 2018.
Ms Hand, a 35-year-old mother of one, alleged she was raped by Mr McGregor in the hotel and he “would not take no for an answer”. Mr McGregor denied her claim and told the jury they had “fully-consensual sex”.
Meanwhile, the Tánaiste predicted that he does not expect the MMA fighter will become the president of Ireland.
Mr Harris, speaking outside Ireland House on Park Avenue on a sodden St Patrick’s Day in New York, said: “It’s for president Trump to invite whoever he wants into his home and he is 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 is here in a personal capacity. He doesn’t speak for Ireland. He doesn’t speak for the people of Ireland and has no mandate to do so.”
Mr Harris dismissed the idea the Taoiseach might have pushed back against president Trump’s enthusiasm for McGregor in their meeting.
“I think the Taoiseach did a very good job representing our country in the Oval Office and we are very proud of the job he did,” Mr Harris said in relation to last week’s visit.
Asked about what sort of message the image of Mr McGregor in the White House sent out, he added: “I don’t want to comment on something on a matter that may end up before the courts again other than to say I have spoken to Nikita Hand. I admire her courage and her bravery and I’d much rather be talking about Nikita Hand than Conor McGregor, quite frankly.”
The visit will fuel the speculation that McGregor will throw his hat in the ring in the next presidential election, with Monday’s visit presenting a possibility that the president of the United States could endorse his candidacy.
“In general I think it always is better for elections to be decided by those who live in a country - and by the people of Ireland. And that’s how our presidential election will be decided,” Mr Harris said.
“I don’t wish to provide free air time here to Mr McGregor. I don’t expect he is going to be the president of Ireland.”
