Washington, D.C. – The White House has strongly dismissed a suggestion by French politician Raphael Glucksmann that the United States should return the Statue of Liberty to France, calling his remarks politically motivated and historically ignorant.
During a press briefing on Monday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked whether the Biden administration would consider handing back the iconic statue after Glucksmann’s controversial comments. Leavitt responded with a firm rejection, emphasizing America’s role in securing France’s freedom during World War II.
“Absolutely not. And 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”, Leavitt stated.
Glucksmann’s Criticism of US Leadership
Raphael Glucksmann, a centre-left Member of the European Parliament and a vocal critic of US President Donald Trump, made the remark at a political convention for his Place Publique movement. He argued that the United States had strayed from the democratic values that originally inspired France to gift the statue in 1886.
“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’”, Glucksmann said.
The French politician specifically condemned Trump’s policies on scientific freedom and international diplomacy, while also criticizing US far-right movements. He referenced the Trump administration’s mass layoffs of federal workers, including thousands of researchers, and accused American leadership of undermining democracy.
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Symbolic Protest or Serious Demand?
Despite the strong rhetoric, Glucksmann’s comments were widely interpreted as a symbolic critique rather than a literal demand for the statue’s return. He has consistently denounced Trump and far-right leaders in both the US and France, accusing them of eroding democratic institutions.
Glucksmann further emphasized his opposition to the Trump administration’s actions, stating:
“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.”
His remarks came amid a federal court ruling ordering the Trump administration to reinstate tens of thousands of dismissed government employees. However, the administration has signaled plans to appeal the decision.
The Statue of Liberty: A Timeless Gift
The Statue of Liberty, officially unveiled on October 28, 1886, was a gift from France to commemorate the centennial of American independence and symbolize shared values of liberty and democracy. Designed by French sculptor Auguste Bartholdi, the monument has since become one of the most enduring symbols of freedom worldwide.
While Glucksmann’s statement may have been intended as political theater, the US government has made it clear: Lady Liberty is staying right where she is.
