Irish mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor made a rather unusual St. Patrick's Day visit to the White House Monday for what he described as the "most important meeting" with President Donald Trump regarding his country's future.
The 36-year-old former UFC champion fighter addressed reporters in the White House briefing room, where he warned that Ireland is on the cusp of "losing its Irishness."
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"What's going on with Ireland is a travesty," McGregor said. "Our government is the government of zero action with zero accountability. You know, our money is being spent on overseas interest that has nothing to do with the Irish people."
"The illegal immigration racket is running ravage on the country," he continued. "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 go home and visit."
McGregor's remarks come a week after Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin also met with President Trump at the White House. It was a mostly friendly meeting between the two world leaders, but President Trump did accuse Ireland of taking advantage of the U.S., to which the Irish prime minister countered noting his country's contributions to the U.S.
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The White House visit by McGregor, however, marks a controversial one considering the professional fighter faces mounting legal problems of his own. He was recently ordered by an Irish court to pay more than $250,000 to a woman who sued him for sexual assault, claiming she was raped and battered by the fighter at a hotel in Dublin in 2018.
A jury found McGregor liable in the case. He denied the accusations, saying the case was a "full-blown lie among many lies" and vowed to appeal the court's decision.
Then in 2023, McGregor was also accused of sexual assault by a woman who claimed he forced her into a bathroom and pinned her against a wall during an NBA Finals game in Miami. McGregor has also denied those accusations. The woman has since reportedly filed a lawsuit against him.
McGregor has not fought in the UFC since his 2021 loss to Dustin Poirier. He has instead sought other opportunities, including an acting role alongside Jake Gyllenhaal in the 2024 remake of the 1989 film "Road House." McGregor also owns his own Irish beer company, among other business ventures.
Editor's note: A previous version of this story said McGregor owns an Irish whiskey company. That was in reference to Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey, which McGregor sold a majority ownership stake of in 2021 to Proximo Spirits.
