A prominent French politician has sparked international debate by demanding that the United States return the Statue of Liberty, arguing that America no longer embodies the values that inspired France to gift the iconic monument nearly 140 years ago. Raphael Glucksmann, a centre-left Euro-deputy and leader of the Place Publique movement, made the provocative statement during a convention in France on Sunday, drawing cheers from supporters.
“Give us back the Statue of Liberty,” Glucksmann declared. “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: ‘You despise it. So it will be just fine here at home.’” The Statue, unveiled in New York Harbor on October 28, 1886, was a centennial gift from France to mark the American Declaration of Independence, designed by French sculptor Auguste Bartholdi. A smaller replica stands on an island in the Seine in Paris.
Also Read: First Image of Pope Francis in Hospital Shows Him Breathing Unaided
Glucksmann’s remarks come amid growing frustration with U.S. President Donald Trump’s policies since his return to the White House in January. A vocal supporter of Ukraine, Glucksmann criticized Trump’s dramatic shift in U.S. stance on the war, as well as his administration’s cuts to federal research funding. These cuts have led to the dismissal of hundreds of health and climate researchers, prompting France to launch an initiative to lure them across the Atlantic. “If you want to fire your best researchers, the people who made your country a global leader through freedom and innovation, then we’re going to welcome them,” he added.
The politician also took aim at France’s far-right leaders, accusing them of being a “fan club” for Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, who is driving the president’s cost-cutting agenda. Glucksmann’s bold call underscores a deepening transatlantic rift, reigniting questions about the Statue of Liberty’s symbolic legacy.
