Key facts
- French presidential candidate Raphaël Glucksmann called U.S. President Donald Trump either a "useful idiot" or an "agent of the destruction of European strength and freedom."
- Glucksmann made the remarks at POLITICO’s Competitiveness Summit in Paris on October 13, 2026.
- Glucksmann stated that Russia's war targets Europeans and that "we are alone."
- Glucksmann warned that electing Marine Le Pen would be a victory for Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
- Glucksmann supports a European Sky Shield for Ukraine and a robust European defense industry.
- Glucksmann proposed Europe take on joint debt to fund defense projects.
French presidential candidate Raphaël Glucksmann, fresh off a primary victory, sharply criticized U.S. President Donald Trump's foreign policy decisions, suggesting they undermine European strength and security. Speaking at POLITICO’s Competitiveness Summit in Paris on October 13, 2026, Glucksmann stated that Trump is either a "useful idiot" or an "agent of the destruction of European strength and freedom," particularly regarding Russia's diesel exports which he believes benefit the Kremlin.
Glucksmann also warned that a victory for his far-right rival, Marine Le Pen, in the 2027 presidential election would be a win for Russian leader Vladimir Putin and detrimental to the European continent. While Le Pen has condemned Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, some within her party favor closer ties with Russia. Le Pen herself has previously suggested France could offer military training to Ukraine but not financial aid due to budgetary constraints.
As a prominent pro-European voice in the French presidential race, Glucksmann advocated for a stronger, sovereign European defense industry and a "European Sky Shield" for Ukraine, a stance also supported by French President Emmanuel Macron. Glucksmann argued that Europe has relied too heavily on Washington for security and that joint investment in defense projects is crucial, even proposing joint debt issuance for such initiatives, a concept met with resistance from fiscally conservative EU members like Germany.
Glucksmann outlined a foreign policy focused on strengthening ties with Central and Eastern European countries rather than courting leaders like Putin or China's Xi Jinping. He also addressed domestic issues, deeming recent student protests over school conditions and teacher pay "perfectly legitimate and justified."