Key facts
- Macron called comments linking unrest to immigration 'unacceptable and stupid'.
- Trump claimed France was being 'conquered, looted, and burned to the ground by migrants, jihadists, and Communists.'
- Macron stated claims of being overrun by migrants were 'completely false'.
- French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot accused foreign leaders of exploiting events for electoral purposes.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday criticized "unacceptable and stupid comments from many foreign leaders" in the aftermath of unrest that rocked several French cities over the weekend. Macron's remarks were a clear response to U.S. President Donald Trump, who had stated that France is "being conquered, looted, and burned to the ground by migrants, jihadists, and Communists." Macron told reporters that claims of being overrun by migrants were "completely false" and that some leaders were campaigning "off of France's back." Right-leaning leaders in other European countries, such as Hungary and Poland, also attempted to link the unrest to immigration to support their own policies. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated that foreign leaders commenting on or exploiting the events for electoral purposes should show restraint.