A French official has called for the United States to return the Statue of Liberty, which was a gift from France over 140 years ago, in response to former President Donald Trump’s actions in the Ukraine conflict.
Raphaël Glucksmann, a member of the European Parliament, made the suggestion after Trump’s decision to side with Russia in the war against Ukraine. Glucksmann criticized Trump for suspending military aid to Ukraine and for his general support of Russia, accusing the US of aligning with “tyrants.”
Glucksmann, who is a member of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, made his comments during a party convention. He suggested that the US had lost its appreciation for the Statue of Liberty and its meaning, adding, “So, it will be just fine here at home.”
Glucksmann’s remarks, first reported by AFP, were partly a protest against Trump’s treatment of Ukraine and also in response to actions taken by the US government under Trump, including cuts to scientific research. He argued that France could offer a better home for the talented researchers who were being let go in the US, saying, “If you want to fire your best researchers, then we’re going to welcome them.”
He also made a direct appeal about the Statue of Liberty. “Give us back the Statue of Liberty,” he said. “We gave it to you as a gift, but if you’re going to side with tyrants and fire researchers who demand scientific freedom, we want it back.”
The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France to the United States in 1884, marking the 108th anniversary of America’s independence. The statue, designed by French artist Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, was installed on an island in New York Harbor and dedicated in 1886. It symbolizes freedom and opportunity, with a famous poem, “The New Colossus,” by Emma Lazarus, welcoming immigrants to America.
A bronze plaque on the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal reads: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore.”
Glucksmann suggested that the US, under Trump’s leadership, no longer embodies the values the statue represents and should return it to France.
Under Trump, the US took a tough stance on immigration. His administration is focused on deporting immigrants, even those with valid work visas, as well as individuals the government claimed were involved in gangs.
In response to Glucksmann’s remarks, Trump’s White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, dismissed the French politician as a ‘low-level’ figure and said the US would keep the Statue of Liberty. Leavitt also mocked France’s history during World War II, stating that America’s intervention in the war had spared France from speaking German.
Watch the White House response to Glucksmann’s remarks below:
'It's only because of the US, the French are not speaking German right now.'
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt sends a message to French MEP Raphaël Glucksmann, who called for the US should return the Statue of Liberty.https://t.co/DaI7veKhUS
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