'Foolish talk': France dismisses Trump's remarks
While massive protests, riots and violence keep France in turmoil, a political blame game has broken out over them. French authorities and students have dismissed as 'foolish talk' the US claim that immigration and open-border policies are behind the French protests.
On Monday (19 October), US President Donald Trump claimed at the White House that unless Europe immediately closes its borders and expels criminals, Europe's downfall is inevitable. Referring to the chaos in France and Italy, he said, 'This is not a school matter, this is about people entering these countries who hate these countries.'
French President Emmanuel Macron strongly protested Trump's remarks. On an official visit to Qatar, without naming any leader, he said, 'Many people, including foreign leaders, are making such foolish comments.' He made it clear that no evidence of any foreign interference behind the current riots has been found.
French youth and students also gave Trump's claim no credence. Bilal Narzicchi, 17, a student at the Paul Eluard High School near Paris and a participant in the protests, called Trump's remarks 'foolish talk'. 'They can think whatever they like. We stand firm on our main demand, which concerns students' rights. The far right has always tried to sustain its politics by spreading fear,' he said.
Analysts say Trump's comments are essentially a political strategy aimed at influencing American voters ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. Emmanuel Dupuy, president of the Institute for European Perspective and Security Studies of Diplomacy and Political Analysis, believes this artificial argument is being used to frighten voters that if Democrats come to power, the US would face the same situation seen in France.
Notably, the protests in France began peacefully among high school students but turned violent earlier this week. Sections of the rioters attacked various city halls and carried out widespread looting. It is considered the worst violence in France in recent years.
More than two thousand people have been taken into custody, most of them minors. Authorities were forced to impose partial curfews in the capital Paris and several other cities to bring the situation under control.
Meanwhile, the wave of French unrest has stirred debate in other European countries too. Hungary's prime minister shared a video of buildings burning in France on social media, saying it is now clear to everyone why Hungary has taken the toughest stance on immigration.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also raised the pitch, saying Poland would not repeat other countries' mistakes and would remain uncompromising on security.
US Vice President JD Vance also criticised Europe on social media, saying, 'Western liberals have imported third-world people into France and other countries in the name of diversity and compassion, and avoided the basics of assimilation.'
Critics argue that the conflict with Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have driven up fuel prices and the cost of living in the United States, and that the Trump administration is using Europe's unrest as a political tool to divert public attention from that domestic crisis.
At an election rally in Kansas, Trump warned American voters: 'If you want to see what's at stake in this election, look at what's happening in France.'
Against Trump's remarks, the French authorities' position is clear: the protests are rooted at home, centred on students' demands, and blaming immigration for them is a politically motivated claim.
Analysts believe the political battle across the Atlantic over France's protests and Trump's comments could intensify further. If the US administration uses the European events more forcefully ahead of the midterms, new strains could emerge in US-France relations.
