Conor McGregor has announced his bid to become Ireland’s President just days after a controversial trip to the White House.
The MMA fighter, who was found to have raped a woman in a civil case in November in Dublin, announced his bid with an Instagram post which sees him standing in front of a private jet and wearing a Make Ireland Great Again cap.
The annoucement comes just days after McGregor spoke of an ‘illegal immigration racket ravaging our country’ at the White House.
On Instagram, McGregor wrote: ‘Ireland must fully implement the EU Migration Pact by June 12, 2026.
‘So between now and 12 June 2026, several pieces of legislation have to be passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas & then signed by the President.
‘The next presidential election must take place by 11 Nov 2025
‘Who else will stand up to Government and oppose this bill?
‘Any other Presidential candidate they attempt to put forward will be of no resistance to them.
‘I will!
‘For clarity also, as President, I would put forth this bill to referendum.
‘Although I oppose greatly this pact, it is neither mine nor governments choice to make.
‘It is the people of Irelands choice! Always! That is a true democracy!
On Monday, ahead of a press conference with Donald Trump, McGregor told an audience that Ireland was close to ‘potentially losing its Irishness’, laying into the Irish government as an administration of ‘zero action with zero accountability’.
‘Our money is being spent on overseas issues that is nothing to do with the Irish people,’ he said.
McGregor’s invitation to the White House came after Donald Trump last week singled out the sportsman as one of his favourite Irish people.
Conor McGregor praised Donald Trump’s ‘work ethic’ as ‘inspiring’ when they finally met on Monday.
Ahead of the meeting, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in the briefing room: ‘We couldn’t think of a better guest to have with us on St Patrick’s Day’.
McGregor’s appearance in Washington D.C was criticised by Irish leaders. Taoiseach Micheál Martin said his comments ‘did not reflect the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, or the views of the people of Ireland’.
Martin wrote on X that the holiday was ‘a day rooted in community, humanity, friendship and fellowship.’
Simon Harris, now deputy prime minister, said in a video published to social media while visiting New York: ‘It’s for President Trump to decide to 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 and my views on him are very clear.’
This is a breaking news story. More to follow.
