A French politician has stirred international headlines after calling on the United States to return the Statue of Liberty, citing U.S. President Donald Trump's recent foreign policy decisions, particularly his suspension of military aid to Ukraine.
Raphaël Glucksmann, a member of the European Parliament and leader of France's Public Place party, made the remarks during a party convention over the weekend. "Give us back the Statue of Liberty," Glucksmann told supporters, drawing applause. "It was our gift to you. But apparently you despise her. So she will be happy here with us."
Glucksmann's comments follow mounting criticism in Europe over Trump's handling of the Ukraine conflict. Last month, Trump publicly berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a televised Oval Office meeting, leading to concerns across European capitals that Washington may be aligning more closely with Russia.
Trump's White House later restored military aid to Ukraine, but his administration's temporary suspension and reported withdrawal from an international body investigating responsibility for the invasion raised alarm. Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are scheduled to hold a phone call Tuesday to discuss a potential ceasefire.
The White House reacted sharply to Glucksmann's comments. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the French lawmaker as an "unnamed low-level French politician," adding, "It's only because of America that the French are not speaking German right now." Leavitt further asserted, "France should be very grateful to our great country."
Glucksmann also used his remarks to criticize Trump's broader domestic policies, referencing staffing cuts across U.S. federal agencies and layoffs affecting scientific and climate researchers. He suggested France would welcome dismissed researchers, saying, "If you want to fire your best researchers... then we're going to welcome them."
The Statue of Liberty, designed by French sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi, was gifted by France to the U.S. in 1884 to commemorate the centennial of American independence. Installed in New York Harbor and dedicated in 1886, the monument symbolizes Franco-American friendship and shared democratic values.
While Glucksmann's comments were delivered with a touch of irony, they reflect deeper unease in Europe over the Trump administration's shifting geopolitical stance. The French government, however, has not echoed his call to reclaim the statue. French President Emmanuel Macron has sought to balance cooperation with the U.S. and criticism of certain Trump policies, particularly tariffs and Ukraine.
Glucksmann further invoked the poem engraved on the statue's pedestal, Emma Lazarus' The New Colossus, referencing the "huddled masses yearning to breathe free." He argued that America under Trump is "ceasing to be what it was."
The diplomatic exchange comes amid Trump's aggressive immigration measures. The administration recently deported more than 250 individuals accused of gang affiliations, despite federal court orders halting the flights. Among those deported was a Brown University medical professor, removed despite possessing a valid U.S. visa and a judge's injunction.
