Macron Accuses Foreign Leaders of Exploiting French Riots for Political Gain
French President Emmanuel Macron has accused foreign leaders of exploiting France’s recent unrest to advance their own political agendas, condemning what he called “unacceptable and stupid” comments about the riots.
Speaking in Qatar on October 21, Macron said some leaders campaigning for upcoming elections were using France’s domestic problems to promote their own narratives. He did not initially name them, but later confirmed that US President Donald Trump was among those he was criticizing.
Trump has blamed Muslim immigration for the violence and urged France to tighten its borders. Macron rejected claims that France had been “invaded” by migrants and Islamists, calling such assertions false.
Macron also warned that AI-generated images depicting events that never occurred in France had contributed to misleading narratives about the unrest.
His remarks appeared to also target Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had made similar comments about immigration and the riots. Macron’s criticism comes amid growing international debate over France’s protests, immigration policies and the spread of misinformation online.