Government warned not to ignore McGregor's 'far-right American messaging'
The Global Project Against Hate and Extremism (Gpahe) "centres its work on countering the threat from the far-right while emphasising human rights and progressive values".
Advertisement
Speaking to BreakingNews.ie, Global Project Against Hate and Extremism co-founder and president Wendy Via said political leaders would be foolish to dismiss McGregor just because his presidential bid looks unlikely.
Ms Via said his recent interview with former Fox News broadcaster
Tucker Carlson
hit a number of far-right talking points, such as adopting seemingly religious themes and dehumanising migrants.
"I don't know if it's permanent, but during that interview he seemed to be moderating a little bit saying 'I'm the good guy, I just want to protect my family and my country... I want to be led by God'. I was thinking 'ok Conor, we'll see'.
"It seems to me that he is completely adopting the American far-right messaging.
Advertisement
"It's 'this is what's right and what's good for our people'. He's setting himself up to be a bit of a hero, which is what a lot of far-right figures do, especially political figures.
"I know that McGregor doesn't have any political power right now.
"The people who adopt this far-right messaging, their ability to prey on people, prey on their fears, their economic fears, their safety fears, 'because immigrants are criminals', as they say."
'Mouthpiece'
While far-right groups in Ireland are divided and not organised, Ms Via said figures like McGregor often become a "mouthpiece" for their movements.
Advertisement
This was evident in the gathering in McGregor's Black Forge Inn pub in Crumlin to welcome Carlson, which included figures from different right wing groups.
"He's a mouthpiece He is able to influence voters. He's also able to influence the discourse. He can't pull the conversation to the right alone but he has a huge following on X and he tries to use that.
"Presenting himself as the de facto far-right leader, whether he gets in office or not, he is influencing the conversation, and in a way that does not solve a problem. It just creates fear."
McGregor made a number of false claims in the interview with Carlson. One of those concerned hotels in Co Wexford, with McGregor claiming there were none left in the county because they had all been converted into international protection accommodation.
Advertisement
This is untrue, there are over 100 hotels in the county.
Ms Via this is a typical example of the falsehoods around migration that Carlson likes to spread on his platform.
"Tucker Carlson's following is primarily American, and Russian for that matter.
Conor McGregor has "completely adopted American far-right messaging" according to Wendy Via.
"But when Conor McGregor gets on there and says things like the hotels are gone, or conversely the migrants are staying in the nicest hotels or they're getting the best apartments, that kind of thing, then the viewers or listeners just say 'OK, well, it's becoming global'.
Advertisement
"Tucker Carlson is a platform for this disinformation, he of course he spreads it. They present it as migrants are taking something from us.
"They're taking something that is rightfully yours away, and everybody who is helping them doesn't care about you.
"I don't think McGregor's going to get elected. That could change. Never say never. But I do think that he is going to influence the conversation.
"Not just Trump, in the United States, we have many, many political figures, where people say 'I'm not endorsing him as a person or I'm not endorsing everything he says, but we do need to look at this'.
"In the debate it can move from how many migrants we're taking in to the dehumanisation of people."
Ms Via said there is a danger in conflating far-right and extreme ideas with conservative policies.
She said the Government should not presume people will not listen to figures like McGregor, despite the fact he does not represent Irish people as he claimed to during his White House meeting with US president Donald Trump on St Patrick's Day.
Conor McGregor speaks with reporters alongside White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. Photo:"If I could give advice to every country which is experiencing a shift to the far-right it is don't ignore what is on the surface or what a person with any kind of common sense would say is simply ridiculous. Or that one person like McGregor, nobody is going to take them seriously.
"We have Trump not once, but twice, and all of the Republican Party behind it. And what you end up with is a situation where the party is being somewhat held hostage by Trump because I do not believe that every Republican is a fringe figure, but they're not able to step out now.
What Conor McGregor says is out there then, even if it's not true. The more controversial the content, the faster it spreads.
"I mean that's the playbook, it's to have these 'facts' and get somebody with a large following and in this case, Tucker Carlson. A lot of people think of him as a very accomplished journalist, even though many don't, he has a big name and if he backs you, he'll share your false claims. What Conor McGregor says is out there then, even if it's not true. The more controversial the content, the faster it spreads.
"It is a balance. You don't want to give him a platform. You can dispute the claims without saying 'well, Conor McGregor is going around saying this'.
"Instead you can say 'this has been claimed, here are the real facts and figures'.
Ireland
'Ireland has Proud Boys': Expert warns no country...
Read More
"What we should not do is say to a person who has questions that 'you're being hysterical, worried over nothing'.
"Or to claim a government policy on migration is perfect, instead point to where you want to improve it.
"Of course McGregor is different than Trump. I think that one thing we can take away is that is that personalities like these can get into power."
Ms Via added: "Carlson can't get the same kind of interview as he used to get, but he also has a mission to spread the type of message McGregor is sharing. He wants there to be more far-right people in power. He wants to be more far-right policies. He wants there to be Christian overtones to all of it. He wants all of that. And McGregor brings an audience of men, and many young men."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
6 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Russia issues terrifying 'dead hand' warning to Donald Trump during bizarre rant
Former Russian president Dmitri Medvedev has issued a scathing warning to US president Donald Trump. He threatened Trump with deadly nuclear weapons during a bizarre rant A former Russian president has hit back at Donald Trump after he told him to "watch his words", sparking further tension between the pair. Dmitri Medvedev issued a terrifying threat to the US President and reminded him just how "dangerous a dead hand can be." A dead hand is Cold War terminology for nuclear weapons which can be used even if a country's leadership has been wiped out. In the bizarre rant, Medvedev, who is a part of Russia 's Security Council, ordered Trump to remember "his favorite movies about the walking dead". Medvedev earlier warned the US president that if he issues Russia any ultimatums then he would treat it as a "threat and a step toward war". He further told Trump that he should tread carefully. It comes as Putin warns of nuclear war after unleashing another night of hell on Ukraine. Writing on Telegram, Medvedev wrote: "About Trump's threats against me in his personal network Truth, which he banned from operating in our country: If some words of the former Russian president cause such a nervous reaction in the entire formidable US president, it means that Russia is right in everything and will continue to go its own way. "And about the 'dead economy' of India and Russia and 'entering dangerous territory' - well, let him remember his favorite films about the 'walking dead', as well as how dangerous a "dead hand" that does not exist in nature can be..." The news came just one day after US President Donald Trump issued a scathing rebuke to Medvedev, warning him to be careful what he says next, reports Express. However, the US President responded furiously, writing: "Tell Medvedev, the failed former President of Russia, who thinks he's still President, to watch his words. He's entering very dangerous territory." This comes after Mr Trump announced he would bring forward the deadline for Russia to agree to a ceasefire with Ukraine during his meeting with Sir Keir Starmer in Scotland. Asked by reporters how long he would set for the new deadline, Mr Trump said: 'I am going to make a new deadline of about 10 or 12 days from today. There is no reason to wait.' Mr Medvedev's threat to Mr Trump follows the United States' threat of steep tariffs if a deal with Ukraine is not reached. Mr Trump took office in January with the position that Russia's invasion of Ukraine would never have happened if he were president at the time. He then vowed to bring peace to the region within a short timeframe, yet has failed to do so. During the peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, the US President has admitted that Vladimir Putin has not been reasonable, taking a more stern approach with the Russian president.
Powys County Times
6 hours ago
- Powys County Times
Ukrainian officials held in drone procurement corruption probe
Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies say they have uncovered a major bribery scheme involving inflated military procurement contracts. In a joint statement published on social media, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) said the suspects had taken bribes in a scheme that used state funds to buy drones and other military equipment at inflated prices. 'The essence of the scheme was to conclude state contracts with supplier companies at deliberately inflated prices,' the statement said, adding offenders had received kick-backs of up to 30% of the contract value. The anti-corruption bodies did not identify the detainees, but said a Ukrainian politician, local district and city officials, and National Guard servicemen were involved. Four people have been arrested so far, they said. The Interior Ministry said the National Guard personnel implicated in the case were removed from their positions. Drones have become a crucial asset in modern warfare for both Ukraine and Russia, enhancing military reconnaissance, precision strikes, and strategic flexibility on the battlefield. NABU Director Semen Kryvonos and Head of the SAPO Oleksandr Klymenko delivered a report. A Ukrainian MP, along with heads of district and city administrations and several National Guard servicemembers, were exposed for bribery. I am grateful to the anti-corruption agencies for… — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 2, 2025 The majority of Russian military assets destroyed by Ukrainian forces, including manpower and heavy weaponry, have been targeted by drones. Drone production is also a key aspect of Kyiv's hopes to expand domestic military production and export markets. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the development in his nightly address on Saturday, calling the scheme 'absolutely immoral' and thanking the anti-corruption agencies for their work. 'Unfortunately, these corruption schemes involved the procurement of electronic warfare systems and FPV drones. There must be full and fair accountability for this,' he said in his address, posted to X. The exposure of the graft scheme by NABU and SAPO came just two days after Ukraine's parliament voted to restore the agencies' independence. In an earlier post, which also included photos of him meeting with the agency heads, Mr Zelensky said it is 'important that anti-corruption institutions operate independently', adding: 'The law passed on Thursday guarantees them all the tools necessary for a real fight against corruption.' Ukraine's Parliament on Thursday overwhelmingly approved the bill presented by Mr Zelensky, reversing his earlier contentious move that curbed their power and sparked a backlash, including street protests, a rarity in wartime.
South Wales Guardian
7 hours ago
- South Wales Guardian
Ukrainian officials held in drone procurement corruption probe
In a joint statement published on social media, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) said the suspects had taken bribes in a scheme that used state funds to buy drones and other military equipment at inflated prices. 'The essence of the scheme was to conclude state contracts with supplier companies at deliberately inflated prices,' the statement said, adding offenders had received kick-backs of up to 30% of the contract value. The anti-corruption bodies did not identify the detainees, but said a Ukrainian politician, local district and city officials, and National Guard servicemen were involved. Four people have been arrested so far, they said. The Interior Ministry said the National Guard personnel implicated in the case were removed from their positions. Drones have become a crucial asset in modern warfare for both Ukraine and Russia, enhancing military reconnaissance, precision strikes, and strategic flexibility on the battlefield. NABU Director Semen Kryvonos and Head of the SAPO Oleksandr Klymenko delivered a report. A Ukrainian MP, along with heads of district and city administrations and several National Guard servicemembers, were exposed for bribery. I am grateful to the anti-corruption agencies for… — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 2, 2025 The majority of Russian military assets destroyed by Ukrainian forces, including manpower and heavy weaponry, have been targeted by drones. Drone production is also a key aspect of Kyiv's hopes to expand domestic military production and export markets. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the development in his nightly address on Saturday, calling the scheme 'absolutely immoral' and thanking the anti-corruption agencies for their work. 'Unfortunately, these corruption schemes involved the procurement of electronic warfare systems and FPV drones. There must be full and fair accountability for this,' he said in his address, posted to X. The exposure of the graft scheme by NABU and SAPO came just two days after Ukraine's parliament voted to restore the agencies' independence. In an earlier post, which also included photos of him meeting with the agency heads, Mr Zelensky said it is 'important that anti-corruption institutions operate independently', adding: 'The law passed on Thursday guarantees them all the tools necessary for a real fight against corruption.' Ukraine's Parliament on Thursday overwhelmingly approved the bill presented by Mr Zelensky, reversing his earlier contentious move that curbed their power and sparked a backlash, including street protests, a rarity in wartime.
