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‘You despise it’: French lawmaker demands US to return Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty was unveiled in New York City on October 28, 1886 to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence.

Glucksmann added that America despises the Statue of Liberty which was given as a gift by the French people. (Representational image via Canva)

A French member of parliament has ignited debate with his comments that France should take back the Statue of Liberty from the United States as he feels that America no longer represents the values that led France to gift the statue to the US in the 1880s.

The comments were made by Center-left politician Raphaël Glucksmann at a convention of his party Place Publique on Sunday.

According to Le Monde, a French newspaper, Glucksmann said “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’.”

🔥🚨BREAKING NEWS: The French MEP is requesting The United States to return the Statue of Liberty back to France immediately. Raphaël Glucksmann claims that The US doesn’t represent the values it did when we were gifted the statue.

“The US no longer represents the values for… pic.twitter.com/nVk7R0FYFs

— Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives (@dom_lucre) March 17, 2025

Glucksmann added that America despises the Statue of Liberty which was given as a gift by the French people.

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The Statue of Liberty was unveiled in New York City on October 28, 1886 to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence. The Statue of Liberty was designed by Auguste Bartholdi, who was a Frenchman.

According to reports, Glucksmann has been a major critic of US President Donald Trump and is considered to be a major booster of the Ukraine war.

According to reports, Glucksmann has been a major critic of US President Donald Trump and is considered to be a major booster of the Ukraine war. (Photo: X/@rglucks1)

Glucksmann criticised Trump as the US paused its arms and intelligence supply to Ukraine. He has even called out the US president for reducing funding to colleges and research institutions in America.

Glucksmann also criticised far right leaders of France, and accused them of being a “fan club” for President Trump and his advisor and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, who is heading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

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“The second thing we’re going to say to the Americans is: ‘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’,” Glucksmann added, as quoted by France 24.

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