French MEP Raphaël Glucksmann has rekindled diplomatic tensions between France and the United States by publicly calling for the return of the Statue of Liberty.
He did so during an event for his center-left party "Plaza Pública," where he harshly criticized the internal and external policies of the Donald Trump administration.
“Give us back the Statue of Liberty. It was our gift to you. But apparently, you disregard it. So she will be happy here with us”, said Glucksmann to the applause of his supporters.
For the French politician, the United States "has chosen to side with tyrants," citing as examples Trump's restrictive immigration policy and his controversial stance on the war in Ukraine.
The response from the White House
The response from Washington came quickly. The White House spokeswoman, Karoline Leavitt, mocked the proposal and categorically rejected the return of the iconic monument.
"Of course not," Leavitt said when a journalist asked if President Trump would consider the French request.
“My advice to that unnamed low-level French politician would be to remind him that it is only due to the United States of America that the French are not speaking German at this moment, so they should be very grateful to our great country,” he added.
With a smile, Leavitt settled the controversy by evoking the historic American intervention in World War II, specifically the Normandy Landings, where the Allied forces, led by the United States, played a decisive role in liberating France from Nazi occupation.
However, internet users well-versed in history have pointed out in numerous social media posts that the United States would not exist without the decisive assistance of France.
The European nation was the main ally of the American rebels during the war of the Thirteen Colonies. Following the American victory at the Battle of Saratoga in 1777, France signed a treaty of alliance with the United States in 1778.
Even before the formal alliance, France was already providing weapons, gunpowder, and financial loans to the colonists.
Glucksmann insists: "That America fought against tyrants, not praised them."
Far from backing down, Glucksmann used his social media to expand on his position and respond directly to Trump's spokesperson.
“I would not be here if hundreds of thousands of young Americans had not reached the shores of Normandy,” he wrote in a thread on X expressing his “eternal gratitude” towards the United States and its sacrifices during World War II.
However, he clarified that that America “fought against tyrants, it did not flatter them. It was an enemy of fascism, not a friend of Putin. And it supported the resistance, it did not attack Zelensky.”
"That America, faithful to the marvelous words inscribed on the Statue of Liberty, your America, deserves much more than betrayal of Ukraine and Europe, xenophobia, or obscurantism," Glucksmann added in his message, recalling the symbolism represented by the Statue of Liberty.
"If the free world no longer interests your government, we will take up the torch in Europe. Until we meet again in the struggle for freedom and dignity, we will be the continuators of our shared history and the protectors of our treasure: more than a statue of copper and steel, the freedom it symbolizes," he concluded.
"Liberty Enlightening the World"
The statue, originally named "Liberty Enlightening the World," was conceived by the French politician Edouard de Laboulaye and designed by Auguste Bartholdi.
France formally gifted it to the United States on July 4, 1884, to commemorate the centennial of the Declaration of Independence and to celebrate the abolition of slavery.
Its official inauguration took place on October 28, 1886, on Liberty Island, in New York Harbor.
The monument has stood for decades as a beacon of freedom and democracy for the world.
Its inscription, featuring verses from the poem ‘The New Colossus’ by Emma Lazarus, is particularly iconic:
"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free (...) Send me these, the homeless, the tempest-tost. I lift my lamp beside the golden door."
Nevertheless, Glucksmann believes that present-day America under the Trump administration has strayed from those ideals.
"Today, this land is ceasing to be what it was," he lamented in his public address, accusing Trump of "authoritarianism" and of betraying the American democratic tradition.
Can France recover the statue?
Despite the media controversy, the request lacks a legal basis.
The Statue of Liberty is owned by the U.S. government and is part of the World Heritage Site according to UNESCO.
Although symbolic, Glucksmann's proposal reflects the growing unease among European sectors regarding the direction that Washington's foreign policy has taken under Trump's administration.
Glucksmann concluded that his request is more a moral metaphor than a real demand: "No one, of course, is going to take it away. It’s yours. But what it represents belongs to everyone,” he concluded.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Controversy between France and the U.S. over the Statue of Liberty
Why did the French politician Raphaël Glucksmann call for the return of the Statue of Liberty?
Raphaël Glucksmann requested the return of the Statue of Liberty as a critique of Donald Trump's policies, arguing that the United States "has chosen to side with tyrants." His request was more of a moral metaphor than a genuine demand, reflecting European discomfort with the direction of Washington's foreign policy.
What was the White House's response to the request to return the Statue of Liberty?
The White House spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, ridiculed Glucksmann's proposal and categorically rejected the return of the monument. Leavitt stated that "of course not" would the statue be returned and reminded that the U.S. intervention in World War II is a reason for France to be grateful to the United States.
Does France have any legal basis to claim the Statue of Liberty?
No, the request to return the Statue of Liberty lacks legal basis. The statue is owned by the U.S. government and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Glucksmann's proposal is more symbolic, reflecting diplomatic tensions than a feasible legal demand.
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