Conor McGregor has met with US president Donald Trump at the White House in Washington DC.
On Monday evening, footage emerged of the mixed martial arts star meeting Mr Trump in the Oval Office.
Mr Trump showed Mr McGregor a map of the Gulf of Mexico which he has dubbed the Gulf of America.
Mr McGregor said “congratulations,” adding: “I’ll tell you what, your work ethic is inspiring. Your work rate is inspiring.”
Mr Trump praised Mr McGregor back, saying, “Yours is too. You are fantastic”.
“Your work ethic is inspiring” - Conor McGregor and President Trump meet in the Oval Office 🫡
(@MargoMartin47) pic.twitter.com/qdA1KYjpCh
— The Mac Life (@TheMacLife) March 17, 2025
The White House posted a video of the Dublin-born fighter on its X account earlier on Monday.
The video shows Mr McGregor walking out the door and saying, "Happy Paddy's Day, America."
White House Press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who confirmed McGregor was to meet the president on Monday afternoon, said the administration could not think of a “better guest to have with us on St Patrick’s Day”.
Mr McGregor also took surprise questions at the White House briefing room and signed a "Make Ireland Great Again" hat.
He said he is meeting with Trump to talk about how Ireland is losing its identity to immigrants, among other topics.
The fighter said he was in Washington "to raise the issues of the people of Ireland."
Conor Mc Gregor accused the Irish Government of "abandoning the voices of the people of Ireland" saying it's "high time that America be made aware" of, what he called, a "travesty" happening in Ireland.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin 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.
“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.”
HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY FROM CONOR MCGREGOR AT THE WHITE HOUSE! 🍀🇺🇸 @TheNotoriousMMA pic.twitter.com/YQPQDttUXB
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 17, 2025
Tánaiste Simon Harris also told journalists in New York that Mr McGregor does not speak for Ireland.
"President Trump can invite whoever 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," the Tánaiste said.
During his exchange with reporters on Monday, Mr McGregor criticised the Government on immigration issues.
“I’m here to raise the issues the people of Ireland face. It will be music to the people of Ireland’s ears,” he said.
“Our 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. Our government is the government of zero action with zero accountability. Our money is being spent on overseas issues that is nothing to do with the Irish people. The illegal immigration racket is running ravage on the country," Mr McGregor said.
“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, as I said, need to hear this because if not there will be no place to come home and visit.”
Mr McGregor posted on X last night that he would be landing in Washington shortly for "the most important meeting of my countries 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.
“He’s got the best tattoos I’ve ever seen,” Mr Trump said, adding, "Conor's great."
The White House further posted a photo of Mr McGregor in front of portraits of US president Donald Trump and his vice-president JD Vance.
🍀 @TheNotoriousMMA pic.twitter.com/5GEKWLR8qg
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 17, 2025
Mr Harris also said he does not see McGregor becoming the next president of Ireland.
“I think it’s always better for elections to be decided, obviously, by those who live in a country, and by the people of Ireland.
“That’s how our presidential election will be decided,” he added.
“I don’t wish to provide free airtime here to Mr McGregor.
“I don’t expect he’s going to be the president of Ireland. We have a long and proud tradition of electing excellent people of integrity and decency at Áras an Uachtaráin."
Mr McGregor, a controversial figure, is known in the United States for his successful MMA career.
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”.
