Conor McGregor visits White House, tells Donald Trump ‘his work ethic is inspiring’

Conor McGregor made a special visit to the White House to speak to President Donald Trump.

The former two-division UFC champion was a guest at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue on Monday, and not only did he have a face-to-face meeting with Trump, he also had a chance to address the media and share his opinion on ongoing issuers in his native Ireland.

Check out photos and clips of McGregor’s visit below.

In footage posted by Special Assistant to the President and Communications Advisor Margo Martin, McGregor was heard telling Trump, “Your work ethic is inspiring.”

McGregor, who was born in Dublin, has been a vocal critic of the Irish government’s immigration policies, frequently writing political comments on his Twitter account and suggesting he could run for office in the future. During an impromptu scrum with reporters, McGregor shared his thoughts on Ireland’s relationship with the United States.

“Ireland and America, we are siblings,” McGregor said. “We consider America our big sibling, so it’s important for Ireland to be a peaceful, prosperous country, for the 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.

“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.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was on hand to welcome McGregor, saying, “We couldn’t think of a better guest to have with us on St. Patrick’s Day.” Trump recently praised McGregor in a recent meeting with Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Micheál Martin, telling him, “I do happen to like your fighter, he’s got the best tattoos I’ve ever seen.”

Martin has responded to McGregor’s White House comments on social media.

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.

McGregor, one of the most popular fighters in combat sports history, is no stranger to making headlines outside of the cage. This past November, McGregor was found liable for sexual assault in a civil suit related to a December 2018 incident in Dublin, and ordered to pay approx. $258,440 in damages to victim Nikita Hand (McGregor and his team are seeking to appeal the verdict). He is also currently dealing with another civil lawsuit for sexual assault relating to an alleged incident at a Miami Heat game in June 2023.