CONOR McGregor’s visit to the White House has exposed Micheal Martin’s “cowardly” approach to US president Donald Trump, an opposition TD has said.
Mr Martin met Mr Trump at the White House last Wednesday, where the two leaders engaged with members of the press for roughly 50 minutes.
It comes after the fighter met Mr Trump in the Oval Office[/caption]
During the exchanges, the US president praised McGregor when asked who he would regard as his favourite Irish person.
Days later, the mixed martial arts fighter also met Mr Trump in the Oval Office.
McGregor, who has set an ambition to become president of Ireland, criticised the Irish government on a range of issues, including immigration.
He claimed the Irish Government was one of “zero action with zero accountability”.
His visit to the White House came months after he was found civilly liable in a High Court damages case in Dublin taken by Nikita Hand, who accused him of rape. McGregor is appealing against the outcome of the case.
On Tuesday, People Before Profit-Solidarity TD Paul Murphy said McGregor’s attendance at the White House on St Patrick’s Day was “scandalous” given his “abhorrent views on a whole range of issues” and the verdict of the jury in the civil trial.
He said: “I think it’s abhorrent by the Trump administration to have promoted Conor McGregor in this way.”
Mr Murphy criticised Mr Martin for taking a “quiet” approach to Mr Trump during his engagement.
The Taoiseach had characterised his own meeting with Mr Trump as “very positive”, and later said that McGregor does not reflect the views of Irish people.
Mr Murphy said: “I do think that the so-called quiet diplomacy of Micheal Martin, which was lauded by many commentators as being very smart, no longer looks very smart.
“Because the truth is that while Trump was praising Conor McGregor, Micheal Martin – while sitting in a room with him – didn’t say a single word to contradict him.
“Micheal Martin praised Trump’s unrelenting focus on peace. We know that overnight, about 350 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed in assaults, a new wave of air attacks that have been authorised and agreed by the administration.
‘VERY COWARDLY’
“So I think you know clearly the very cowardly, bootlicking approach of Martin now is exposed for just that.”
Asked about McGregor’s presidential ambitions, Mr Murphy added: “I don’t think that’ll get off the ground in reality.
“It might exist in Donald Trump’s head and Elon Musk’s head and their various promoters over here. But I don’t think it will fly.”
