Raphaël Glucksmann, a prominent French Member of the European Parliament, has publicly called for the return of the Statue of Liberty to France, arguing that the United States no longer embodies the values of liberty, democracy, and solidarity that the monument represents.

Speaking before members of his political movement Place Publique, Glucksmann condemned what he described as America’s abandonment of its founding ideals under President Donald Trump. He cited the administration’s increasingly isolationist foreign policy, its treatment of scientific institutions, and its reluctance to defend global democratic movements.

“We gave it to you as a gift,” Glucksmann said, referring to the statue’s 1886 installation in New York Harbor. “But apparently, you despise it. So it will be just fine here at home.”

The Statue of Liberty, created by sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, was gifted by France to the United States to mark the centennial of American independence and to honor the countries’ shared commitment to freedom. For over a century, it has stood as a symbol of welcome to immigrants and a global beacon of democratic ideals.

Now, Glucksmann says, that symbolism rings hollow. “How can a country that jails activists, bans books, and threatens journalists pretend to stand for liberty?” he asked. “Let it be clear: Liberty no longer lives in America.”

The remarks have added to growing diplomatic rifts between France and the U.S., particularly over Trump’s pivot away from NATO commitments, his disregard for European Union allies, and the perceived undermining of democratic institutions both at home and abroad.

Though the call to reclaim the statue is symbolic, it has sparked outrage among U.S. conservatives and applause from pro-democracy advocates in Europe. French social media erupted with mock designs imagining the statue’s return voyage to Le Havre. One trending post read, “We’ll keep the freedom if you won’t.”

As The Crustian Daily continues to track the political fractures widening across the Atlantic, Glucksmann’s speech stands out as a pointed reminder: global symbols of liberty only matter if the nations housing them still live by what they stand for.