*Conor McGregor made waves on social media Thursday by announcing his intention to run for president in Ireland.
The former UFC champion took to Instagram to lay out his primary campaign goal, particularly focused on the EU Migration Pact, which he strongly opposes, Complex reports. He made it clear in his post that if he were president, he would put the pact to a national referendum, emphasizing that such decisions should be in the hands of the people.
“For clarity also, as President, I would put forth this bill to referendum,” McGregor wrote, sharing a photo of himself wearing a “Make Ireland Great Again” hat. “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!”
In an apparent bid to advance his political ambitions, McGregor made a notable appearance in the White House press briefing room on St. Patrick’s Day ahead of his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump. During the event, he declared that his conversation with Trump would focus on “issues the people of Ireland face.” He voiced concerns about the Irish government allegedly ignoring the voices of its citizens, calling the situation in Ireland a “travesty.”
Additionally, McGregor’s outspoken anti-immigration stance sparked controversy when he claimed that rural areas in Ireland were being overrun by immigrants, warning that the country was at risk of “losing its Irishness.” His comments drew sharp criticism from Irish officials, including Prime Minister Micheál Martin, who condemned McGregor’s views as not reflective of the Irish people’s sentiments.
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“It’s about time that America is made aware of what’s going on in Ireland. What is going on in Ireland is a travesty. Our government is the government of zero action with zero accountability,” McGregor said, per CNN.
“So, issues need to be addressed, and the 40 million Irish Americans, as I said, need to hear this,” he added. “And I’m here to raise the issue and highlight it. You know, it’s also St. Patrick’s Day, so a little bit of celebrations.”
Simon Harris, Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister (Tánaiste), distanced the country from McGregor’s White House visit and his political comments.
“He doesn’t speak for Ireland. He doesn’t speak for the people of Ireland,” Harris said. “He has no mandate to do such.” Harris made it clear that McGregor was not representing Ireland during his trip to the U.S.
McGregor was recently found liable for sexual assault in a civil case filed by a woman, Nikita Hand, who accused him of raping and battering her in a Dublin hotel penthouse, The AP reports. The incident allegedly occurred in December 2018 after a night of partying. McGregor denied the charges, insisting that their interaction was consensual. After a jury deliberated for six hours, they awarded Hand nearly 250,000 Euros ($257,000) in damages. McGregor stated on social media that he would appeal the decision.
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