Raphael Glucksmann took aim at the US amid ongoing political tensions involving Donald Trump
She’s become a beloved and unmissable landmark for the United States, but now French politician Raphael Glucksmann is demanding that Lady Liberty should be returned to France.
While the Statue of Liberty is deeply intertwined with the history of New York and the United States, its origins are surprisingly French. In fact, there’s even a sister statue standing proudly in Paris!
The idea for this iconic monument was first proposed in 1865 by Édouard de Laboulaye, a French political thinker and fervent anti-slavery activist. Laboulaye envisioned the statue as a tribute to both the centennial of American independence and the enduring friendship between France and the United States.
Designed by the renowned French sculptor Auguste Bartholdi, the Statue of Liberty was shipped to the United States and arrived on June 17, 1885. It was then erected on Bedloe’s Island in 1886, where it has stood as a symbol of freedom and democracy ever since… but could its time in the US be coming to an end?
In a surprising turn, Raphaël Glucksmann, a centre-left politician in France, has stirred controversy by suggesting that the US should return the Statue of Liberty to France. During a speech at a convention for his Place Publique movement, Glucksmann passionately stated:
“We’re going to say to the Americans who have chosen to side with tyrants, to the Americans who fired researchers for demanding scientific freedom: ‘Give us back the Statue of Liberty.’ We gave it to you as a gift, but apparently, you despise it. So, it will be just fine here at home.”
Glucksmann’s remarks came on the heels of US President Donald Trump‘s controversial decision to impose a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports into the US. This prompted a swift response from the European Commission, which retaliated with tariffs of its own targeting American goods. The tension escalated when Trump threatened a 200% tariff on French wines, champagne, and other alcoholic products in retaliation, further intensifying the brewing trade war between the US and Europe.
In addition to the trade conflict, Glucksmann criticized Trump’s stance on the Ukraine-Russia war, which saw US military aid to Ukraine reduced, as well as his decision to cut federal funding to research institutions. Glucksmann suggested that, in light of these actions, France would be more than willing to provide a welcoming environment for the displaced American researchers. He declared:
“The second thing we’re going to say to the Americans is: ‘If you want to fire your best researchers, if you want to fire all the people who, through their freedom, their innovation, and their passion for doubt and research, made your country the world’s leading power, then we’re ready to welcome them.'”
