French Leader Demands America Return The Statue Of Liberty

A French lawmaker has made a bold appeal, urging the United States to return the Statue of Liberty, arguing that the nation has strayed from the ideals the monument represents. Raphaël Glucksmann, a progressive member of the European Parliament, contends that America no longer upholds the values of freedom and democracy that the statue was meant to embody.

“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,'” he told supporters, according to Fox News.

“We gave it to you as a gift, but apparently you despise it. So, it will be just fine here at home,” he added.

Glucksmann’s remarks stem from his outspoken support for Ukraine and his criticism of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s foreign policy, particularly efforts to scale back aid to Kyiv. He has also condemned cuts to academic and research funding, arguing that such actions erode the intellectual and scientific freedoms that once defined the United States.

The Statue of Liberty, designed by French sculptor Auguste Bartholdi, was gifted to the United States in 1886 to honor American democracy and Franco-American friendship. Over time, it has become an enduring symbol of liberty, welcoming immigrants and representing the nation’s dedication to human rights. However, Glucksmann suggests that if the U.S. no longer cherishes those principles, the statue would be better off returning to France.

While his demand is largely symbolic, it highlights growing European concerns about shifts in American foreign policy and Trump’s demands that Europe actually pay for things. Although unlikely to gain political traction, Glucksmann’s comments reflect broader anxieties about the future of global leadership in promoting freedom and human rights.

A smaller replica of the Statue of Liberty, gifted by the United States to France in 1889 to commemorate the French Revolution’s centennial, still stands along the Seine River in Paris.

Conservatives responded with one simple message to the Frenchman’s demands: come and take it.

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