A French politician is calling for the return of the Statue of Liberty, arguing that the United States no longer deserves the iconic monument.
Raphaël Glucksmann, a socialist and member of France’s left-wing Place Publique party, made the bold demand during a recent speech at his party’s convention. He accused the U.S. of aligning itself with tyrants, claiming such actions contradict the very spirit of the statue—a gift from France in 1886 to symbolize freedom and democracy.
“Give us back the Statue of Liberty,” Glucksmann declared. “We’re going to say to the Americans who have chosen to side with the tyrants, to the Americans who fired researchers for demanding scientific freedom: ‘Give us back the Statue of Liberty.'”
His fiery remarks appear to be a direct response to former President Donald Trump’s recent foreign policy decisions, particularly concerning Ukraine. Glucksmann contrasted Trump’s stance with that of the Biden administration, arguing that America’s shifting priorities have tainted the values the statue represents.
“We gave it to you as a gift, but apparently you despise it. So it will be just fine here at home,” the MEP stated.
But Glucksmann didn’t stop there. He expanded his criticism to Trump’s sweeping job cuts, condemning the former president for mass layoffs affecting American scientists and innovators. He extended an invitation to those affected, promising that France would welcome them with open arms.
“The second thing we’re going to say to the Americans is: ‘If you want to fire your best researchers, if you want to fire all the people who, through their freedom and their sense of innovation, their taste for doubt and research, have made your country the world’s leading power, then we’re going to welcome them,’” Glucksmann said.
What he failed to mention was Trump’s rationale behind the layoffs—a move aimed at cutting government waste, reducing reckless spending, and eliminating inefficiencies. The former president framed it as a necessary step to restore financial discipline in Washington.
So far, Trump and his administration have remained silent on Glucksmann’s remarks, offering no response to the demand for the statue’s return or the broader criticisms levied against them.
While the Statue of Liberty remains firmly in place on Liberty Island, the debate surrounding its symbolic weight in global politics continues to rage on.
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