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Mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor is meeting Donald Trump today for talks on Ireland's "illegal immigration racket".
The 36-year-old appeared in the White House briefing room during his St. Patrick's Day visit to Washington DC and is set to meet the US president later this afternoon.
He told reporters he is visiting the White House to "raise the issues the people of Ireland face".
"What is going on in Ireland is a travesty," he said. "Our government is the government of zero action with zero accountability."
McGregor warned "Ireland is at the cusp of potentially losing its Irishness" due to the "illegal immigration racket".
He added that he wants to learn from and listen to President Donald Trump, whose work ethic he called "inspiring".
"Ireland and America, we are siblings. We consider America our big sibling. So it's important for Ireland to be a peaceful, prosperous country for 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 that's how we feel," McGregor said.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who appeared alongside McGregor in the briefing room, said: "We couldn't think of a better guest to have with us on St Patrick's Day."
At a meeting with Irish prime minister Micheal Martin last week, Mr Trump said McGregor was his favourite Irish person partly because "he's got the best tattoos I've ever seen".
In a post on X, Mr Martin 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."
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Trump is well known for his support of Ultimate Fighting Championship, which McGregor is best known for competing in, and attended bouts during the 2024 presidential campaign.
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McGregor is a controversial figure in Ireland after a woman who accused him of raping her won her civil case and was awarded more than £200,000 in damages.
Tesco was among the retailers that stopped selling alcohol brands linked to McGregor after Nikita Hand was awarded €248,603 (£206,000) after a jury found McGregor assaulted her in a hotel in 2018.
McGregor also pleaded guilty to assaulting a man in a Dublin pub in 2019, and has been subject to several other allegations of assault and sexual assault.
His social media posts were also linked to the 2023 Dublin riots. Irish police were reportedly investigating McGregor's posts for alleged incitement to hatred in relation to the riots.
McGregor, nicknamed the Notorious, rose to worldwide prominence for winning several UFC championships.
English (US) · 