Chile! Not the Statue of Liberty getting repoed?
A French lawmaker is demanding the US hand back the Statue of Liberty, which was gifted to the States more than 100 years ago.
Raphaël Glucksmann, a French MP and son of French philosopher André Glucksmann, accused America of losing its way and no longer standing for what the iconic sculpture represents.
“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,” the left-leaning politician said during a recent convention for his Place Publique party, according to the French newspaper Le Monde.
He continued: “We gave it to you as a gift, but apparently you despise it. So, it will be just fine here at home.”
According to the outlet, Glucksmann is an avid supporter of Ukraine and has been scathing in his criticism of Trump’s withdrawal of support. He has also been a vocal opponent of the president slashing funding for colleges and research hubs.
“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 and their sense of innovation, their taste for doubt and research, have made your country the world’s leading power, then we’re going to welcome them,’” he said.
He also criticized right-wing members of France’s parliament, whom he called a “fan club” for the president, as well as Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who has taken on a highly visible role in the administration.
The White House caught wind of all this and was not about to let it slide.
During a press briefing, Fox News’ Peter Doocy brought it up to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, pressing her on whether Trump was planning to return the statue.
“Absolutely not,” she fired back. “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. So, they should be very grateful to our great country.”
Her response was echoed by thousands of users online, with many mocking the demand and questioning whether France had bigger things to worry about.
Diehard MAGA supporters, on the other hand, were more than happy to call the bluff, urging the French to “come get it themselves.”
“The French want the Statue of Liberty back. Come get it b!tches!” one X user, who identified as MAGA wrote on the platform.
Another user, who describes themselves as a Christian and a patriot, said that returning the statue to France was:
“totally fine by me. It is not our fault they fell to [French President Emmanuel] Macron. I’m hoping Trump can get our mess straightened out. He speaks of France often. Saying Paris isn’t Paris anymore. He will get our mess straight and then on to helping the rest of the world.”
Another account, described in the profile as a “MAGA MAGA-zine,” shared a mocked-up image of the Statue of Liberty standing in the pouring rain with her face in her palms, with the caption:
“The Statue of Liberty after finding out France wants her back.”
Another user, not a MAGA supporter, took a different approach, shifting the conversation to France’s own history.
“I get where France is coming from on this, but if they’re standing firm on their principles, then they need to return every penny they forced Haiti to pay after independence. You can’t claim to stand for justice while holding onto wealth built on exploitation. That’s just selective morality.”
Lady Liberty was designed by French sculptor Auguste Bartholdi and given to the US as a gift from France.
It was unveiled in Upper New York Bay in 1886 in a dedication ceremony by then-President Grover Cleveland.
Since then, the Statue of Liberty has become an enduring symbol of the American dream, freedom, and democracy.
Interestingly, a 1/4-scale replica of Lady Liberty — gifted to France by the US in 1889 to commemorate the centennial of the French Revolution— can be found on Allée des Cygnes, a narrow island on the Seine River not far from the Eiffel Tower.
