WASHINGTON – Two weeks out from the midterm elections, President Donald Trump alleged that demonstrations in France were the fault of immigrants and politicians on the left, though French leaders have said they're centered around affordability.
After anti-government protests spiraled into looting and rioting across the country over the weekend, Trump told reporters at the White House that "migrants have taken over France."
Paris is "going to be a Muslim city very soon," Trump said Oct. 19, promoting a false allegation that Muslim immigrants are responsible for the anti-government protests.
"If Europe doesn't close its borders and bring the criminals out, like the people that are protesting, Europe is finished," the president added. "That's not
about school. That's about people coming into the country that hate the country, they hate the buildings, they hate the people, they hate the art," Trump said at another point in his gaggle.
Earlier in the day, Trump also hit on the topic on his Truth Social platform, saying "The migrants have taken over France. They must CLOSE THE BORDERS, FAST!"
The repeated comments from Trump and focus on immigration come amid a sagging approval rating and GOP troubles at the ballot box tied to voter frustration over the economy and higher costs caused by the Iran war. The president was one of several Republican leaders this week who suggested that the French protests were caused by unconstrained immigration.
The anti-government demonstrations started with a series of protests led by a student movement demanding more funding for education and better conditions in schools. The protests were later joined by labor unions, farmers and other workers' groups that have expressed outrage over the cost of living and record-high fuel prices.
Contradicting Trump’s comments, French government officials said the protesters have legitimate concerns about affordability. French President Emmanuel Macron said on Oct. 18 that the skyrocketing energy prices – a key issue for demonstrators – stem from Trump’s war against Iran, which “France was not part of.”
One of the most shocking scenes from the violence in France on Oct. 18 was an arson attack that destroyed a historic town hall in Limoges.
Vice President JD Vance also blamed the protests on immigration as he reposted a video of the fire in Limoges, showing the structure’s spire crashing to the ground as flames consumed the building.
"Western liberals imported the third world into France and other countries in the name of diversity and compassion," he wrote in a post on social media. "They ignored fundamental questions of assimilation and compatibility."
"I pray that France, a beautiful country of amazing people, will stop this madness before more of its landmarks burn," he added.
House Speaker Mike Johnson also attributed the violence in France to open borders and far-left politics, despite the remarks from top French officials on the causes of the protests.
"What we are witnessing is a chilling warning for all Americans of what happens if the radical Marxist insurgent left gets their way," he wrote on social media. "If Democrats take back control, it will be open borders and criminal illegals overrunning our country, many of whom want to destroy it.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump weighs in on French riots, raising immigration fears before midterms
