Donald Trump’s press secretary Karoline Leavitt said his administration could not think of a “better guest to have with us on St Patrick’s Day”, but many in the Emerald Isle angrily disagreed
Conor McGregor’s bizarre St Patrick’s Day meeting with Donald Trump has ‘united Ireland in loathing’ at the disgraced cage fighter, it was claimed on Tuesday.
The MMA fighter, 36, was labelled a ‘national embarrassment’ after he waltzed into the White House on Monday and launched into a rant about immigration issues in Ireland.
Just months after forming a coalition government, Irish Tanaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) Simon Harris insisted: “He doesn’t speak for Ireland” as a slew of prominent figures slammed the stunt.
Here, the Daily Star takes a look at the odd meeting and the reaction to it in his homeland.
Mc-Donald love in
The visit came just days after the US President said McGregor had the “best tattoos I’ve ever seen” as he hailed him one his favourite Irish people to Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Micheal Martin.
The pair schmoozed in the White House as McGregor told the Orange Manbaby: “I’ll tell you what, your work ethic is inspiring. Your work rate is inspiring.” Trump replied: “Yours is too. You are fantastic.”
But after pictures of the pair together were shared on social media, users pointed out they had both been liable for sex offences in court, with many suggesting: “Birds of a feather flock together.”
Immigration rant
In bizarre scenes, McGregor stood behind a podium in a green pinstriped suit and took questions from US reporters.
He said: “What is going on is a travesty. 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.
“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.”
Row with Irish politicians
Taoiseach Micheal Martin was quick to respond to McGregor, saying his “remarks are wrong and do not reflect the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, or the views of the people of Ireland.”
This then put to McGregor as he left the White House, to which he ranted: “In 10 years, Dublin city centre has gone from one of the safest cities in Europe to one of the most dangerous.
“Shame on him for saying that, speaking down on an Irish man. I won’t speak about him personally. Throw a jab… I could. I could throw many jabs at them.
“I could throw jabs handily at them, however I speak on the metrics and the metrics show they do not speak for the people of Ireland.”
Push back on comments
McGregor was roundly mocked when he was fumbled over a question about undocumented Irish immigrants in the US.
One X user quipped: “Certain irony in McGregor talking about 40m Irish Americans whilst bemoaning immigration.”
Another instagram user said: “So he’s addressing the Irish immigrants in the US about not being able to go home and visit due to immigrants…?”
Anger that he was there at all
The US has a long history of celebrating St Patrick’s Day with at least 31.5 million people – a whopping 9.5% of the population – reporting Irish ancestry in a 2021 poll.
On Monday (March 17), almost two million people lined the streets of New York as hundreds of thousands marched up Fifth Avenue in the oldest and largest St. Patrick’s Day Parade in the world.
Tánaiste Simon Harris, also the minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, was in the city as were schoolchildren from Ireland and other dignitaries.
But Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Trump administration could not think of a “better guest to have with us on St Patrick’s Day”.
This angered many in McGregor’s homeland, who have been repulsed at his conduct in recent years. Jess Ní Mhaoláin, from Cork, wrote: “He’s a national embarrassment to Ireland. The Americans can keep him.”
Belfast politician Matthew O’Toole wrote: “McGregor is a disgusting thug and abuser. His presence today an insult to the island of Ireland.”
Meanwhile, former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar wrote on social media: “Conor is a convicted criminal and rapist. Good Irish men teach their sons to detest men like Conor and their daughters to avoid men like him. Irish America- know this.”
Why did the visit not go down well in Ireland?
McGregor was last year found liable in a High Court damages case in Dublin taken by a Nikita Hand, who accused him of rape. The court was told how a tampon had to be removed by forceps after the attack and a paramedic said she had not seen a patient as bruised as Ms Hand was in a long time.
A judge was also told masked men invaded her home, smashed her windows and stabbed her partner in a ‘targeted attack’ from McGregor’s supporters after launching the civil action against him.
He was also sued in January for allegedly raping a woman at a basketball game in the US in 2023 NBA finals and arrested on sexual assault allegations in France in 2020.
The Dublin-born mixed martial artist was also convicted in 2019 of assaulting a man in Dublin, and pleaded guilty in 2018 to hurling steel objects through a bus window in New York in a plea deal that allowed him to keep his visa.
Irish journalist Kat O’Connor wrote on Joe.ie: “An endless list of incredible Irish celebrities could have represented us at the White House on St. Patrick’s Day. The last person any Irish person wanted to see represent us at the White House was Conor McGregor.
“The man who was found liable for the sexual assault of Nikita Hand in November does not represent our country. He does not deserve that platform, acknowledgment, or spotlight.”
In an editorial comment, the publication wrote on social media: “St Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland, but that doesn’t mean they disappeared entirely.
“One managed to slither his way into the White House on St Patrick’s Day and start spewing his useless nonsense.
“Conor McGregor was the man chose by Donald Trump to speak for the people of Ireland. But, as anyone who is actually from Ireland will tell you, it was the worst possible choice.”
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