UFC Icon Conor McGregor Announces Campaign for President of Ireland

On Thursday, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) legend Conor McGregor announced his plans to run for President of Ireland in this year’s presidential election, emphasizing his opposition to mass migration into the country.

As reported by The Hill, the world-renowned fighter met with President Donald Trump at the White House on St. Patrick’s Day earlier this week, which itself came a week after Ireland’s Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Micheál Martin met with President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance for Irish-American Heritage Month. McGregor met with President Trump in the Oval Office and also spoke in the White House Press Briefing Room.

In his lengthy announcement post on social media, McGregor voiced his opposition to the European Union (EU) Migration Pact, which the bloc has mandated that Ireland must ratify by June 12th, 2026. The pact would relax Ireland’s border security and make it easier for illegal aliens to claim asylum.

“Between now and 12 June 2026, several pieces of legislation have to be passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas and then signed by the President,” McGregor explained. “The next presidential election must take place by 11 [November] 2025.”

“Who else will stand up to Government and oppose this bill? Any other Presidential candidate they attempt to put forward will be of no resistance to them. I will!” McGregor declared.

He also said that, as president, he would pursue a nationwide referendum on the Migration Pact, allowing the people of Ireland to decide for themselves whether or not the country should be forced to abide by the deal.

“Although I oppose greatly this pact, it is neither mine nor government’s choice to make. It is the people of Ireland’s choice! Always!” McGregor continued. “This is the future of Ireland with me as President. All citizens of Ireland to have a voice and a choice on their future! God Bless our people! Vote McGregor and have your voice heard!”

Since beginning his mixed martial arts (MMA) career in 2008, McGregor has become one of the most famous and most popular athletes in the history of the sport. He first rose to prominence for his defeat of Featherweight Champion of the world, Jose Aldo Jr., at UFC 194 in 2015. after knocking him out in just 13 seconds. He has since become the biggest pay-per-view (PPV) attraction in the history of MMA, being a headliner for all of the top five best-selling PPV events in the UFC. In 2021, Forbes ranked McGregor as the highest-paid athlete in the world.

In recent years, McGregor has become more outspoken on politics, particularly with regards to the ongoing mass migration crisis in Ireland and elsewhere in Europe. In November of 2023, an Algerian immigrant stabbed three young girls and an adult outside of an elementary school in Dublin; McGregor condemned the stabbing and the immigration policies that allowed the assailant into the country, and voiced his support for the mass protests that ensued in opposition to the Irish government’s pro-migration policies.

The Irish presidential election is to be held later this year, no later than November 11th. Incumbent President Michael Higgins is term-limited after having served two seven-year terms in office. In order to run for President of Ireland, a candidate must be an Irish citizen and at least 35 years old. To appear on the ballot, a candidate must be formally nominated by either 20 of the 234 members of Ireland’s Parliament, the Oireachtas, or by four of the 31 county or city councils in Ireland. Ireland’s presidential elections feature a runoff system, where the top two candidates advance to the general election if neither of them receives an outright majority in the first round.