America needs to “look after its little bro”, proclaimed MMA star Conor McGregor from a White House podium on St. Patrick’s Day. His mere presence drew swift condemnations from Irish officials. In reality, the spectacle in Washington yesterday was a killer blow to an Irish establishment that thought it had started strong with the new Trump administration. Evidently, it did not. So why was Conor McGregor at the White House on St. Patrick’s Day, and what’s next for Irish-American relations?
The snub that wasn’t…or was it?
Despite desperate attempts to play it down, Trump’s delayed invitation this year caused panic in the halls of Irish power. A formal invitation usually arrives in early February. The spin doctors on Merrion Street set about convincing the country that “a formal invitation is never sent”. This obvious lie fell flat as soon as the Taoiseach reported that he had received a formal invitation. But the delay – or threat of a snub – was not merely Trump doing things differently. Ireland has been hard at war with one of America’s biggest allies: Israel.
The Ireland-Israel War
After over a year of diplomatic posturing on both sides, Israel closed its embassy to Ireland in December. By a hair’s breadth – and the significant influence of the US Ambassador to Ireland – the Government shelved the Occupied Territories Bill last month. This was an attempt to legislate ‘Boycott, Divest, and Sanction’ into Irish law. As Trump made moves with Netanyahu to end the war in the Middle East, Ireland expected to lose out. The relative success of the visit – and the lack of a Zelensky-style blowout – is not considered to be an endorsement of Ireland’s policies, but rather a blind eye turned. Conor McGregor’s presence in Washington yesterday, however, undermines that theory.
President Conor McGregor?
Conor McGregor has transitioned from a celebrated sports star to something of a political commentator. Amid his spectacular fall from grace in Ireland over last year’s civil rape trial, he has only grown in popularity in the US. McGregor will almost certainly fail to get a nomination to run for President later this year. But Washington repeatedly welcomes him as the heir apparent to the throne of the Emerald Isle.
With a country against him personally, he plays his influence in Washington to keep the cheers coming. His past comments about his potential run for office shed light on how little he understands the position he may run for. The Irish Presidency is a ceremonial role essentially created as a 7-14 year retirement plan for elderly politicians. The President has zero legislative or executive power. In fact, McGregor can do more to promote his policies as a retired MMA star than he could as President.
A McGregor sales call
When he arrived at the White House, McGregor claimed he was meeting with Trump to show the “other side” of Ireland. The Ireland that has been ravaged by unrestricted immigration and a rise in crime. A skeptic, however, may consider that McGregor’s budding alcohol empire is sputtering after Forged Stout was removed from virtually every shelf in Ireland in November. The 200% tariffs on EU alcohol touted by Trump last Thursday could bankrupt the man.
Irish Democrats
Whatever the reason for the visit – political or commercial – McGregor’s presence in DC pressed on a sensitive topic in Dublin. The Irish establishment is firmly Democrat. It has almost no time for any Republican, let alone Trump. Former Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, casually turned up at the DNC last August to cheer on Kamala Harris’ candidacy. Two months later, then-Taoiseach Simon Harris showed off his ‘Harris 2024’ hat. Oddly, he was not wearing this hat when he tweeted about his “good friend” Kathy Hochul from the New York St. Patrick’s Day parade yesterday.
It was no surprise, then, when Irish officials jumped to condemn McGregor’s visit and to declare that he does not speak for Ireland. Their animosity for the GOP administration is not an accident. It is a deliberate choice of positioning. In an America repenting of its Joe Biden years, Ireland wants to be slightly unpopular. That way the tariffs and cultural condemnations will not be too harmful, but will unite the country behind the Government. The fact that McGregor is already unpopular is merely a bonus.
McGregor over Martin
Republicans are not big fans of the Irish Government either. JD Vance and Howard Lutnick have criticisedit over free speech and trade policies. Elon Musk is currently suing the Government over its censorious implementation of the EU ‘Digital Services Act’. There was real reason to expect that last Wednesday’s visit would not go fully according to plan. McGregor’s surprise appearance yesterday was, in many ways, a warning to Dublin. Trump invited them to Washington this year, but he has alternatives to government officials if he wants them.
What’s next?
Overall, McGregor’s visit spotlighted a growing divide between Ireland and its “big bro”, America, but not in the way McGregor necessarily hoped to. Ireland sees the US as a large country succumbing to the tyrannical rule of Donald Trump. But he enjoys popular – and growing – support. The Irish establishment is doubling down on its support for the Democrat party as the valiant underdogs. But the party hit a record low 29% approval rating yesterday. Meanwhile the US, vaguely aware of some undesirable goings-on in Ireland, assumes that Conor McGregor will be Ireland’s Trump, Milei, or Meloni. Yet McGregor struggles to sell a single pint of stout in Ireland. He certainly won’t garner 50% of the vote in the Presidential election. While the US may be passively surprised when Ireland’s next President does not have a UFC background, the message to Ireland is pretty clear. They survived the sit-down this year, but next year might not be so easy.
