Donald Trump celebrated St. Patrick’s Day on Monday by inviting Irish UFC star Conor McGregor to the White House. McGregor has long been the subject of controversy, and just a few months ago was found liable for rape in a civil case in Ireland.
Trump lauded McGregor last week when he was asked to name his favorite Irish person while taking questions alongside the nation’s prime minister, Micheál Martin, at the White House. “I do happen to like your fighter,” he said. “He’s got the best tattoos I’ve ever seen. Conor’s great, right?”
In November, an Irish jury ruled in civil court that McGregor was liable for the 2018 sexual assault of Nikita Hand, and ordered him to pay 250,000 Euros in damages. McGregor has also been accused of sexually assaulting a woman at an NBA Finals game in 2023, with the alleged victim filing a lawsuit against McGregor in January. McGregor has denied any wrongdoing regarding both allegations against him.
“We couldn’t think of a better guest to have with us on St. Patrick’s Day,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday before introducing McGregor, who proceeded to rant about immigration. “The illegal immigration racket is running ravage on the country,” McGregor said of Ireland in comments shared on X by Elon Musk. “There are rural towns in Ireland that have been overrun in one swoop, that are becoming minority in one swoop.”
Martin, the Irish prime minister who met with Trump at the White House last week, was quick to condemn McGregor’s remarks. “St. Patrick’s Day around the world is a day rooted in community, humanity, friendship and fellowship,” he wrote on X. “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.”
McGregor also performed his “billionaire strut” outside the White House, and met with Trump in the Oval Office. “Your work ethic is inspiring,” McGregor told Trump.
McGregor and Trump have plenty in common, perhaps most notably that they were both found liable for sexual abuse. Trump last year was found liable for sexually abusing and defaming author E. Jean Carroll, and ordered to pay over $80 million in damages.
