Trump Blames Immigrants as He Watches France Burn

U.S. President Donald Trump on the 18th (local time) blamed the acceptance of immigrants for the violence that has intensified France's anti-government protests and called for border controls. In a post on Truth Social, he wrote: "France is burning. Immigrants from a totally different world, harboring hatred in their hearts, have shattered that once-great nation," adding, "Close your borders and take back control before it's too late."

This is not the first time President Trump has made such claims. On the 6th, he also said on Truth Social that the French protests were due to "out-of-control mass immigration," calling it a problem of "Islam trying to take over a once-great country."

In Paris and other major cities, protesters clashed violently with police, leaving cars and shops in city centers burned and looted. In the southwestern city of Limoges, a city hall building was set on fire and collapsed after being attacked by protesters. Meanwhile, high school students protesting poor educational conditions have held demonstrations for four straight weeks, and over the weekend, workers and citizens turned out en masse to protest high prices and fuel costs.

That top-tier U.S. figures are framing France's protests as an immigration issue underscores how the social unrest has led to damage to iconic landmarks and facilities in Paris and other major cities. The protest situation in France remains far from resolved.