The MMA fighter visited the White House for St Patrick’s Day.
Conor McGregor is set to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House.
The MMA fighter was introduced at the White House earlier today by White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, who explained that he would meet the President this afternoon.
This comes just a few days after President Trump named the MMA fighter as his favorite Irish person.
Ms Leavitt said the White House ‘couldn’t think of a better guest to have with us on St Patrick’s Day’.
Last year, a jury in a civil trial found McGregor guilty of raping Nikita Hand in a hotel in Dublin in December 2018.
In response to the meeting, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris said McGregor does not speak for Ireland or the people of Ireland.
Mr Harris said President Trump is “perfectly entitled to do whatever he wishes in relation to who he decides to invite to the White House.”
However, Mr Harris explicitly highlighted McGregor is in the US in a ”personal capacity’. He said in New York, “let me be very clear, Conor McGregor is not here in the United States representing Ireland or the people of Ireland.”
“He doesn’t speak for Ireland. He doesn’t speak for the people of Ireland. He has no mandate to do such.”
McGregor said the reason for his visit was ‘to raise the issues the people of Ireland face’.
McGregor has accused the Irish Government of ‘abandoning the voices of the people of Ireland’.
He said it was ‘high time that America be made aware’ of, what he described as a ‘travesty’ happening in Ireland.
Recently, McGregor has been highly critical of Ireland’s immigration policies and the supports they provide to asylum seekers.
Following the civil suit last year, Ms Hand was awarded almost €250,000 in damages.
Earlier this year, another woman filed a lawsuit against the Dublin man which accuses him of sexually assaulting her during the 2023 NBA finals in Miami.
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