French Politician Raphaël Glucksmann, member of the European Parliament and co-president of the Place Publique party is making headlines as he calls on the US to hand over the Statue of Liberty.
Given as a gift from France to commemorate their relationship on the 100th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Lady Liberty was conceptualized by anti-slavery activist Édouard de Laboulaye, and her construction was overseed by Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi. She was transported in 350 pieces and unveiled on Oct 28,1886.
“Give us back the Statue of Liberty,” Glucksmann told supporters of his Public Place party, on March 9. “It was our gift to you. But apparently you despise her. So she will be happy here with us,” Glucksmann said.
The White House responded back by stating that France should be grateful for the US support given back in WWI and WWII, ands should be ‘grateful’ for US aid.
“If the free world no longer interests your government, then we will take up the torch, here in Europe,” Gluskman responded back on X.
Now the question on everyone’s mind; can they actually get it back? Well no. As stated by UNESCO the cultural arm of the United Nations, the statue is listed as a world treasure that belongs solely to the US. Even still.
“The statue is yours. But what it embodies belongs to everyone,” Gluskmann continued on X.
Currently within France, there is much debate on how to approach Trump’s imposed tariffs. French President Emmanual Macron has let his prime minister François Bayrou be a more critical voice when it comes to Trump and US relations. This allowed Bayrou to really address the brutality that was shown to Zelenskyy back when the Ukraine President was at the White House. The war between Ukraine and Russia has made both sides weary, but one must not forget who was the one to start this war now almost four years ago. And it certainly was not the former.
Bayrou suggested that Trump was the one treading a fine line by almost granting Russia the victory when he paused military aid. Gluskmann’s party has also been posting and proclaiming that Trump is turning more authoritarian by the day and offering up those who were supposed to be allies to their enemies.
“The America of these heroes fought against tyrants, it did not flatter them. It was the enemy of fascism, not the friend of Putin. It helped the resistance and didn’t attack Zelensky,” he wrote.
Many, both American citizens and those abroad were quite baffled that President Trump had established such ties with Putin. Even opening up long cold trade that had been previously closed. The presidents newfound favor shown to Putin may in fact be just transactional, but when asked which side that Trump stands on we must not simply put aside his claimed ‘neutrality’ on the matter. Though with the freeze on military aid, and the coercing of Zelenskyy to agree to a deal that was more suited for Putin, this is a serious matter. And almost a slap to the face to the other allies of the US.
“It is precisely because I am petrified by Trumps- betrayal that I said yesterday in a rally that we could symbolically take back the Statue of Liberty if your government despised everything it symbolizes in your eyes, ours, and those of the world,” Gluskmann said.
Karoline Leavitt White House press secretary responded this time.
“My advice to that unnamed low-level French politician would be to remind them that it’s only because of the United States of America that the French are not speaking German right now,” Leavitt said last Monday. Also stating that France and all other allies should be ‘grateful’.
But she missed that being grateful goes both ways. Gluskmann responded at this recurring retort with the fact that is was thanks to France all those years ago that America was even able to be a country. As the French gave aid during the American revolution. Gluskmann wasn’t necessarily calling for the physical statue to be back, rather he was calling for a wake up call.
“We all in Europe love this nation to which we know we owe so much,” he posted on X. “It will rise again. You will rise again. We are counting on you.”
