The White House on Monday firmly dismissed a suggestion from a French politician that the United States should return the Statue of Liberty to France, taking a jab at the lawmaker in the process.

The White House is on 🔥 today.

Responding to French politician’s claim that U.S. should return the Statue of Liberty, @PressSec reminds that “it’s only because of the United States that the French are not speaking German right now.” pic.twitter.com/OgL2yXOL8s

— Arsen Ostrovsky 🎗️ (@Ostrov_A) March 17, 2025

 

“Absolutely not,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a press briefing when asked about the possibility of sending the iconic statue back. She did not hold back in her response, adding, “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 country.”

 

 

The remark came after Raphaël Glucksmann, a center-left politician and member of the French Parliament, made headlines with his call for the U.S. to return the statue. Speaking at a convention on Sunday, Glucksmann argued that the United States no longer upholds the values that led France to gift the statue in the first place.

 

“Give us back the Statue of Liberty,” Glucksmann declared. “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.’” He continued, “We gave it to you as a gift, but apparently you despise it. So it will be just fine here at home.”

 

France originally gifted the Statue of Liberty to the United States as a symbol of the friendship between the two nations and to celebrate America’s dedication to freedom and democracy. The statue was officially unveiled in New York City in 1886 and has since remained one of the most enduring symbols of the country’s ideals.

 

Based on a report by The Hill  2025-03-18

 

 

Europe is becoming more hostile by the day

Shouldn't they clean their own house first? 

 

23 minutes ago, Social Media said:

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

 

Was he even born then? Lot's of water under the bridge has passed and when I look at the violence in france... I wonder if this guy should toot his horn. Every country has its dunce hat to wear and here in canada, for example, it is the way that our forefathers treated the natives who were ousted from their land. Are canadian politicians giving back said acquired land?

The French are being French. 

Ship that crusty old statue to them for all I care. Send it C.O.D.

Can never trust the French.

She managed to upset the French AND the Germans. Kudos  

I think this is just a bit of French humor, maybe even thought up by people other than the one who is supposed to have said it.  And team T jumps on it, adds it to the smokescreen of distractions from what they are really up to. 

Whether it is just histrionics for the teevee or otherwise, making veiled threats of taking over other lands looks bad, not everyone has his sense of humor.

 

27 minutes ago, TedG said:

The French are being French. 

Yep, and Donald will ban humour...

1 minute ago, Ben Zioner said:

Yep, and Donald will ban humour...

 

Yes that sounds like a reasonable comment.. Everyone Donald Trump will ban humour. 

 

You can make this shhhh up. 

Karoline Leavitt is awesome.

 

I love the way she is totally unapologetic and just throws truth bombs at these idiotic leftist nutjobs.

 

It's the only way to deal with them. 

26 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Karoline Leavitt is awesome.

 

I love the way she is totally unapologetic and just throws truth bombs at these idiotic leftist nutjobs.

 

It's the only way to deal with them. 

Why do they have lovely trees in Paris?

So the Germans can march in the shade.

 

Should have used that one.