In a notable meeting at the White House, controversial Irish MMA fighter Conor McGregor was welcomed by U.S. President Donald Trump on St. Patrick’s Day. McGregor, who attended the meeting with his partner and four children, referred to the U.S. as Ireland’s “big bro” during his remarks to the press in the West Wing. He commended President Trump’s work ethic as “inspiring,” while Trump reciprocated with praise for McGregor’s determination and labeled him as “fantastic.”
The meeting took place shortly after President Trump had hosted Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, where he had praised McGregor’s tattoos as part of friendly banter related to Irish culture.
Despite the celebratory atmosphere, McGregor is not without controversy; just last week, a jury ruled against him in a civil case where a woman accused him of assault. The court ordered McGregor to pay over €248,000 (£206,000) for the incident, which took place in a Dublin hotel in 2024.
During his appearance at the White House, McGregor, speaking from the press briefing room alongside press secretary Karoline Leavitt, expressed his intentions to bring attention to the challenges faced by the Irish people, particularly immigration policies which he criticized as being out of touch. “What is going on in Ireland is a travesty,” he stated. McGregor accused the Irish government of abandoning its citizens and misplacing priorities by spending public funds on overseas issues rather than focusing on the welfare of the Irish people.
This meeting is part of a broader narrative in which public figures like McGregor are increasingly engaging with political issues, representative of growing concerns over national policies that affect their communities. With McGregor’s strong presence in both sports and culture, his comments are sure to resonate among a wide audience as they highlight significant societal challenges.