After taking over the MMA world and making serious moves in business, Conor McGregor now seems to have his sights set on an even bigger stage.“The Notorious” has been flirting with the idea of leading a country, but if his recent actions are anything to go by, it might not be a pleasant experience for the Irish people.
McGregor made headlines earlier this year when he announced his run for the Irish presidency, shifting his focus from the octagon to politics.
The former UFC champion declared his candidacy on Instagram, telling his 46 million followers, “Who else will stand up to the Government and oppose this bill? I will!” in response to the EU’s new migration pact. While it has never been more clear that his plan is to rehash whatever Trump did to win the US elections last year, this new photoshoot has everyone a little confused.
In a bizarre yet very on-brand Instagram Story, McGregor was seen posing with none other than Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un… well, their lookalikes anyway.
The staged photo-op had fans both laughing and scratching their heads, as McGregor continues to blur the line between reality, performance, and now, political ambition.
Conor McGregor on Instagram pic.twitter.com/YPbgOxyJCi
— MMAFanatic (@FanaticMma10) April 23, 2025
Just days before announcing his candidature, McGregor had appeared at the White House with Donald Trump on St. Patrick’s Day, drawing backlash in Ireland for echoing far-right sentiments.
Irish leader Micheál Martin responded, saying McGregor’s comments did not reflect the spirit of the holiday or the views of the Irish people.
McGregor has since appeared in a conversation with conservative broadcaster and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, talking about how immigration to the island was leading to the “erasure of the Irish people”.
Carlson questions Ireland’s democracy in McGregor interview
It should be noted that, unlike in the United States, the role of the President is only nominal in nature as the island remains a parliamentary democracy with the Prime Minister at its head.
“You need four county council nominations or 20 from the Oireachtas,” McGregor told the conservative pundit. “Can’t just run for president”, he noted.
Transparent as he was clueless about Irish politics, Carlson seemed unable to grasp the concept as he asked McGregor, “So how is it a democratic country?”
Interestingly, the owners of the venue where the interview was held have since apologised for hosting the controversial figures.
Philip Daley, the grand secretary of the Irish Freemasons, asserted that had they known about the participants or the content of the interview, they would not have rented out the space.
“The Freemasons of Ireland categorically denies any association with the interviewer or interviewee and regrets that such an interview took place on our premises. We apologise to our members and confirm that steps have been taken to avoid a recurrence“, they released a statement.
Daley further revealed that this was a last-minute decision, and they had only allowed the interview to go ahead after being promised by Carlson’s team that all references to the Freemasons’ hall would be blurred out.
