“It’s only because of the United States of America that the French are not speaking German right now. They should be very grateful to our great country.”
The Statue of Liberty, a symbol of U.S.-France friendship, has now emerged as a flashpoint in diplomatic tensions following the start of Donald Trump’s second term as U.S. president. French lawmaker Raphaël Glucksmann, a member of the European Parliament and leader of the center-left party Place Publique, criticized Trump’s pro-Russia stance and cuts to foreign aid, saying on Sunday, “Give us back the Statue of Liberty.”
The next day, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt hit back, noting that France, occupied by Nazi Germany during World War II, might not have been freed without U.S. intervention. Her remarks, seen as a direct reference to France’s painful history under Nazi occupation and its national pride in the French language, were considered highly pointed. In response to Glucksmann’s demand, she firmly stated, “Absolutely not,” dismissing him as an “unnamed low-level politician.”
Standing on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, the Statue of Liberty is a colossal monument, measuring 93.5 meters in height and weighing 204 tons. Designed by renowned French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, the statue wears a spiked crown, holds a torch aloft in her right hand, and clutches the U.S. Declaration of Independence in her left.
During the American Revolution, the then-British colony received crucial support from France, a longtime rival of Britain. The two nations remained allies, and in 1886, France gifted the statue to the U.S. to commemorate the 100th anniversary of American independence. The monument was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.
Glucksmann’s remarks reflect broader European concerns over Trump’s diplomatic approach. He has criticized Trump’s alignment with Russian President Vladimir Putin in ending the war in Ukraine, along with budget cuts to foreign aid and scientific research under the pretext of “cost reduction,” adding, “If that’s the case, the statue is better off in France.”
While relocating the monument is virtually impossible, the AP notes that Glucksmann’s comments underscore the shockwaves Trump’s "America First" policies and pro-Russia stance have sent through France and Europe. Since his first term, Trump has pressured European allies to increase their defense spending. In his second term, he is forging closer ties with Russia, a longtime adversary of Western Europe. In response, European powers, including France, are ramping up their military budgets and even considering strengthening their nuclear capabilities.
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