Emmanuel Macron has criticised Donald Trump and other foreign leaders for allegedly exploiting France’s recent unrest for political gain…reports Asian Lite News Desk
French President Emmanuel Macron has hit back at foreign leaders, including US President Donald Trump, accusing them of exploiting France’s social unrest for political gain. Macron described their remarks as “unacceptable” and “stupid” after a weekend of violence and looting in Paris and other French cities.
The comments came amid protests over rising living costs and education-related concerns, which have drawn international attention. Trump has blamed immigration for unrest in parts of Europe, warning that France and Italy risk further instability unless their governments tighten border controls.
Macron, however, rejected claims that France was being overwhelmed by migrants and Islamists, describing them as “completely false”. He also accused foreign leaders of repeating misleading narratives about the situation without verifying the information.
Speaking about the unrest, Macron said there had been “foreign manipulation of information in the aftermath” of the looting reported over the weekend.
“And that has led to comments that are as unacceptable as they are stupid, from many people, including foreign leaders,” he said.
Asked by a reporter whether he was referring specifically to Trump, the French President replied, “Among others”.
Macron also raised concerns about the circulation of AI-generated images depicting incidents that had never occurred in France. He argued that such material was contributing to the spread of misinformation and creating a distorted picture of the country’s situation.
“AI-generated images depicting scenes that never actually happened in France. We’ve had people claiming that we were invaded by hordes of migrants and Islamists, which is completely false,” he said.
The French President suggested that some political figures were using the unrest to advance their own domestic agendas, particularly those campaigning in upcoming elections.
“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… And we don’t need that,” Macron said.
He also criticised those speaking negatively about France during the unrest, suggesting their comments reflected a lack of goodwill towards the country.
“The fact is, all the people who are speaking ill of our country right now are people who don’t love our country,” Macron said. “So those people really bother me.”
Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said his office was ready to provide the countries concerned with clarifications to counter inaccurate information.
Barrot said the assistance would help foreign governments avoid spreading or amplifying false claims on social media.
The exchange highlights growing tensions over how France’s domestic unrest is being portrayed internationally, particularly amid concerns about misinformation and the use of AI-generated content in political discourse.
