Paris —
French President Emmanuel Macron has condemned the “stupid comments” of some foreign leaders on protests across the country after US President Donald Trump claimed that migrants were stirring up unrest.
“There are people who claim that we have been invaded by hordes of immigrants and Islamists, but that is completely false,” President Macron said on Wednesday during a tour of Arab countries in the Persian Gulf region. “The truth is, all the people who are talking bad about our country right now are people who don’t love our country. And those people annoy me.”
On Monday, President Trump claimed without evidence that France was being “conquered, pillaged and burned by anti-Christian immigrants, jihadists and communists” and that “Western civilization itself”.
What began in September as protests over the state of education and living costs in the country has since escalated into nationwide violence and riots, with more than 2,000 people arrested over the weekend alone.
French authorities, under pressure to quell the worst escalation of violence in years, have imposed localized curfews and promised a “massive” police presence in preparation for further protests expected on Saturday.
Asked on Wednesday if he was aware of any evidence of foreign involvement in the unrest, the French president said: “There is no visible foreign interference in the events that have taken place.”
However, President Macron continued: “There has been manipulation of information by foreign countries, which has led to unacceptable and foolish statements from many people, including foreign leaders.”
Along with President Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance also suggested that immigrants were behind the riots. “Western liberals have imported the Third World into France and other countries in the name of diversity and compassion,” he wrote on Monday X. “They ignored the fundamental issues of assimilation and compatibility.”
President Trump spoke favorably of Vance’s comments from the Oval Office on Tuesday, while insisting that concerns about education or costs were not fueling the protests.
“It’s not an education issue. It’s an immigration issue,” he said. “It’s basically about illegal immigrants who hate France. They hate the people. They hate everything.”
In Europe, Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar has also linked violence to immigration policy, again without providing evidence. He posted on social media on Sunday: “In the face of this senseless destruction and gratuitous violence, perhaps everyone can see why Hungary insists on the toughest possible approach to immigration.”
Macron did not mention specific foreign leaders at Wednesday’s press conference, but he accused leaders in Europe and “across the Atlantic” of amplifying misinformation.
“We want order, respect and progress in this country. But people should not be spouting things that are simply not true,” he said.
The French president made an unannounced visit to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman before departing for Paris, the Elysée Palace said.
