Conor McGregor joins Donald Trump supporters at victory rally in US – The Irish Times

Conor McGregor was among the attendees at a pre-inauguration rally for Donald Trump in Washington DC where the US president-elect told supporters on the eve of being sworn into office he would end “American decline”.

“We are so back!” Mr McGregor posted on social media platform X, posing next to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage who joined the 20,000-strong crowd at the Capital One Arena on Sunday.

Speakers and performers at the event included musician Kid Rock, actor Jon Voight, and Dana White, the CEO of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), while billionaire supporter Elon Musk joined the president-elect on stage.

Former UFC champion McGregor flew into Washington DC by private plane from Dublin Airport accompanied by his coach John Kavanagh on Saturday, saying he planned to attend various events surrounding the inauguration.

Sharing a photo on X after his arrival in the US capital, he said: “Just landed in Washington DC to witness @realDonaldTrump become Double Champ!”

Other photographs and videos on social media showed McGregor meeting visiting dignitaries along with Pete Hegseth, Mr Trump’s nominee to serve as US secretary of defense.

“Honour to be in Washington DC to support Donald Trump, the newly elected leader of the free world and to stand with the 13 families who lost their loved ones at Abbey Gate,” McGregor sated in another post.

The service members were killed in 2021 during the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

McGregor was ordered to pay almost €250,000 in damages last November after a jury in a civil trial at the High Court found he raped Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel in 2018. Last week, he was further was ordered by the High Court not to disseminate CCTV footage used in the civil trial, with Mr Justice Alexander Owens saying he does not get “another run” at the case by throwing out allegations on social media.

Mr Trump used the Sunday rally to again celebrate his election victory, saying: “Tomorrow, at noon, the curtain closes on four long years of American decline, and we begin a brand-new day of American strength and prosperity, dignity and pride.

“We not only won a mandate, but we built a new American majority that will lead our country to success for generations to come,” he told supporters at arena, which is normally home to the NBA’s Washington Wizards and NHL’s Washington Capitals.

Monday’s inauguration ceremony has been moved indoors due to a severe cold weather snap expected in Washington which will result in a smaller number of attendees. – Additional reporting AP