Additional Coverage:
- Karoline Leavitt disrespectfully tells French to ‘thank the US they’re not speaking German’ (irishstar.com)
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has firmly rejected calls from a French politician to return the Statue of Liberty to France. During a Monday press briefing, Leavitt responded to comments made by Raphael Glucksmann, a member of France’s Place Publique party, who suggested the U.S. no longer upholds the values symbolized by the statue.
Leavitt dismissed Glucksmann as a “low-level French politician” and stated unequivocally that the U.S. will not return the iconic gift. She further emphasized France’s debt to the United States, asserting, “It’s only because of the United States of America that the French aren’t speaking German right now,” referencing the liberation of France from Nazi occupation during World War II.
Glucksmann, a vocal critic of President Trump’s policies, initially made the remarks in an interview with French newspaper Le Monde. He called on the U.S. to return the statue, suggesting it would be better appreciated in France. His comments followed President Trump’s controversial meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and amidst growing European unease with the Trump administration.
Glucksmann also extended an invitation to American researchers and federal employees impacted by job cuts under the Trump administration, offering them a welcome in France.