During a recent interview, Tucker Carlson posed an unusual immigration policy question to UFC star Conor McGregor, asking whether the UFC star would consider deporting comedian Rosie O’Donnell if he were president.
The exchange began when Carlson brought up O’Donnell, framing her as part of what he called an “immigration crisis.”
“So in sad news, I know you said you’re a, you know, looking at the bright side kind of guy, but Rosie O’Donnell has moved here,” Carlson said. “If you’re president and you tackle the immigration crisis, and I do think Pakistan and India take a lot of the blame for it, Africa, but also Rosie O’Donnell, like, would you deport her? Can you promise to deport her?”
McGregor, known for his brash persona in the octagon, responded with unexpected thoughtfulness, shifting the conversation to a more principled stance on immigration rather than targeting O’Donnell specifically.
“What is her criminal history? Has she got a criminal background? How did she enter the country? Did she enter the country illegally? Has she assimilated with our community? Does she hold our beliefs? Is she an upstanding member of our community? Or would she be?” McGregor asked rhetorically.
He continued with his general immigration philosophy:
“If she is not, well, then she’s got to go. You ain’t got to go home. You got to get the hell out of here.”
But McGregor quickly clarified that he wasn’t actually targeting O’Donnell, saying,
“I don’t know Rosie O’Donnell from Adam. But, you know, I believe she’s a comedian. I’ve seen her on our national TV. She spoke a bit ill of me.”
In a moment that surprised Carlson, McGregor then expressed empathy toward O’Donnell.
“I don’t know Rosie. She seems unhappy. She seems going through something at the moment. And I’m not the type of person to kick a person when they’re down,” McGregor said. “I wish for her. I believe she’s a comedian is what her craft is. I wish for her to find her happiness again.”
He concluded with a message of goodwill:
“I wish, you know, happiness and spread love in the world. That’s it.”
Carlson appeared taken aback by McGregor’s compassionate response, remarking,
“Well, you’re a very, very decent man, I have to say.”
The exchange highlights a more nuanced side to McGregor, who chose to respond with empathy rather than engaging in the provocative question about a fellow celebrity.
O’Donnell, a comedian and television personality, has not publicly responded to the exchange as of this reporting.
