Video News Clips: In Their Own Words

Karoline Leavitt Reminds ‘Low-Level’ French Politician He Would Be ‘Speaking German’ Without US Sacrifices

Karoline Leavitt Reminds ‘Low-Level’ French Politician He Would Be ‘Speaking German’ Without US Sacrifices

[Screenshot/The White House]

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reminded a French politician stating the U.S. no longer deserves the Statue of Liberty that his people would be “speaking German” if it were not for the U.S. during Monday’s briefing.

Raphaël Glucksmann, a member of the Socialists and Democrats group in the European Parliament, alleged on Sunday that the U.S. is no longer worthy of owning the Statue of Liberty over President Donald Trump’s alleged decision “to side with the tyrants” over Ukraine, according to France 24, a local French outlet. In response, Leavitt told Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy that the U.S. will not be returning the iconic landmark to France and that the “low-level” politician should show more appreciation to the U.S.

“There is now a member of the European Parliament from France who does not think the U.S. represents the values of the Statue of Liberty anymore. They want the Statue of Liberty back. So is President Trump going to send the Statue of Liberty back to France?” Doocy asked.

“Absolutely not,” Leavitt said. “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.”

WATCH:

Glucksmann made the remarks at a recent convention of his political party, Place Publique, where he alleged that Americans appear to “despise” the Statue of Liberty. The 305 foot tall statue, which stands off the coast of Ellis Island in New York, was gifted to the U.S. by France on July 4, 1884, to honor American independence and the U.S.’s alliance with their nation.

“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. “We gave it to you as a gift, but apparently you despise it. So, it will be just fine here at home.”

The left-wing French politician criticized Trump for suspending military aid to Ukraine and berated Elon Musk, who is overseeing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), for conducting mass layoffs of the federal government with the intent of eliminating wasteful and fraudulent spending, according to The Guardian.

The U.S., along with the French Resistance, liberated France from four years of Nazi occupation during World War II. After the initial D-Day invasion in Normandy on June 6, 1944, the Allied Forces successfully freed Paris from the Germans on Aug. 25, 1944.

All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.