Macron hits back at Trump over France unrest, calls foreign leaders’ remarks ‘stupid’

Paris: French President Emmanuel Macron has hit back at US President Donald Trump and other foreign leaders over their comments on the unrest in France, accusing them of exploiting the country's domestic tensions for political gain.

Speaking in Doha on Wednesday during his three-day state visit to Qatar and the wider Gulf region, Macron criticised what he described as “unacceptable and stupid” comments from foreign leaders who, he said, were using France's unrest to advance their own political campaigns.

“There are people who campaign at France's expense- leaders who are in campaign mode, whether here in the region or on the other side of the Atlantic,” Macron said.

Asked directly whether he was referring to Trump, Macron replied: “Among others.”
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Macron rejects claims about migrants, AI-generated images

Macron also pushed back against claims that migrants and Islamists were behind the unrest, saying there was no evidence of foreign interference triggering the violence.

“As far as I'm concerned, there is no visible foreign interference in the events that took place. There has been foreign manipulation of information in the aftermath,” he said.

According to Macron, AI-generated images showing events that never happened in France had also been circulated.

“We have people who explained that we had been invaded by hordes of migrants and Islamists,” he said, dismissing such claims as false.

Macron said foreign leaders had sometimes repeated such material or narratives without properly verifying them.

“When I see leaders who are in the middle of election campaigns, whether in the region or on the other side of the Atlantic- who sometimes naively repeat AI-generated content or spread narratives that certain circles are clearly trying to promote about what happened in France- they're using our country for their own political campaigns,” he said.

Trump had blamed immigration for France unrest

Trump had earlier linked the unrest in France to immigration and urged Macron to tighten the country's borders.

Speaking to reporters outside the White House on Monday, Trump said the protests and violence were about immigration rather than education or domestic policy.

Trump also claimed that “Paris is going to be a Muslim city very soon” and warned European countries about the consequences of failing to tighten border controls.

On Sunday, Trump had similarly posted that France was “burning” and blamed immigration for the unrest.
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Netanyahu also criticises France

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also criticised the French government's handling of the unrest.

In an interview with French-language network i24News, Netanyahu said France was facing what he called an “invasion of extremist Islam” and accused French authorities of failing to prepare adequately.

“They did not prepare in time; they simply gave up. They succumbed to the invasion of extremist Islam,” Netanyahu said.

Asked what France should do, Netanyahu urged the country to “fight back” against extremists rather than pursue what he described as a policy of appeasement.

Macron's remarks appeared to address such interventions from foreign leaders while defending France's handling of its domestic crisis.

“In these moments, we see who loves France and who doesn't,” Macron said. “And the fact is, all the people who are speaking ill of our country right now are people who do not love our country.”

France prepares for more protests

Macron's comments came as France continued to deal with the aftermath of violent unrest that followed nationwide demonstrations over rising living costs, education and public services.

The unrest included looting, clashes with police and damage to businesses and public buildings. More than 2,400 people had been arrested following the violence.

Authorities have introduced curfews in parts of the country. In Bordeaux, a week-long night curfew for unaccompanied minors has been imposed following widespread looting and violence.

French authorities are also preparing for further demonstrations, with Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu promising a “massive” police deployment ahead of protests planned for October 24.

Macron is expected to convene an emergency meeting with cabinet ministers and intelligence officials on Thursday after returning to Paris, where he will receive a detailed account of the October 17 unrest.

(With agency inputs)