MMA legend Conor McGregor is known for his prowess within the octagon, but he’s definitely not afraid to throw a few verbal punches outside of it, and I don’t mean pre-fight trash talk.
McGregor unleashed on Ireland’s Prime Minister Leo Varandkar after Varandkar posted on X expressing his relief that 9-year-old Emily Hand had been returned to her family after she was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists. That’s all well and good, but it was the wording of the post that caught the ire of the people.
“This is a day of enormous joy and relief for Emily Hand and her family. An innocent child who was lost has now been found and returned, and we breathe a massive sigh of relief,” posted Varandkar. “Our prayers have been answered.”
Only Hand wasn’t “lost.” As X’s community notes function makes clear, Hand was kidnapped by a terrorist organization and held hostage. As the Irish Examiner reported, Hand was one of the people kidnapped during the surprise attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7. It was thought that she was among the dead, but it was revealed that she was alive in Gaza.
She was one of the 50 captives to be released by Hamas during the four-day ceasefire between the terrorist group and Israeli forces.
As you can imagine, the Prime Minister of Ireland softening his language for the sake of political correctness against a terrorist group is going to upset a lot of people, especially the Irish, and especially the most popular Irish fighter in history.
“She was abducted by an evil terrorist organization,” McGregor fired back in a quote tweet. “What is with you and your government and your paid for media affiliates constantly down playing / attempting to repress horrific acts that happen to children. You are a disgrace. The day after a stabbing of children in Ireland, NOT ONE PAPER HAD IT ON THEIR FRONT COVER. We will not forget.”
McGregor has been highly vocal about the lack of response from Irish leadership when it comes to policing the crimes of rioters and migrants. Whenever a crime is committed, the Irish government seems to point the finger at “far right” groups or refuse to admit there’s any problem at all.
My American readers know how that goes.
McGregor has been unabashedly calling out the problem for what it is, even bluntly telling his fellow countrymen that they “are at war.”
Speculation has arisen about whether or not McGregor will soon run for political office. If he did, it’s unlikely that he’d lose. There seems to be a lot of unrest in the streets of Ireland over the government’s failure to secure the nation from a takeover of migrants and criminal elements. McGregor’s name recognition, mixed with his unapologetic truthtelling, may allow him to ride the wave of right-leaning leaders being elected all over the globe in response to the incompetency of leftist leaders.
(READ: Argentina’s New President Proves the Power of Unapologetic Truth-Telling)
Time will tell, but it seems like McGregor has some sort of leadership aim, and we may see him become the leader of Ireland in an official capacity in the near future, especially if Irish leadership continues to turn a blind eye to the criminal takeover of their country and remain politically soft in the face of real terror.
