From France comes call for Trump's America to return Lady Liberty
Paris, Mar 18 (AP): Hey, America: Give the Statue of Liberty back to France.
So says a French politician who is making headlines in his country for suggesting that the US is no longer worthy of the monument that was a gift from France nearly 140 years ago.
As a member of the European Parliament and co-president of a small left-wing party in France, Raphael Glucksmann cannot claim to speak for all of his compatriots.
But his assertion in a speech this weekend that some Americans “have chosen to switch to the side of the tyrants” reflects the broad shockwaves that US President Donald Trump's seismic shifts in foreign and domestic policy are triggering in France and elsewhere in Europe.
“Give us back the Statue of Liberty,” Glucksmann said, speaking Sunday to supporters of his Public Place party, who applauded and whistled.
“It was our gift to you. But apparently you despise her. So she will be happy here with us,” Glucksmann said.
Can France claim it back?
Dream on.
UNESCO, the United Nations' cultural arm that has the statue on its list of World Heritage treasures, notes that the iconic monument is US government property.
It was initially envisaged as a monumental gesture of French-American friendship to mark the 100th anniversary of the July 4, 1776, Declaration of Independence.
But a war that erupted in 1870 between France and German states led by Prussia diverted the energies of the monument's designer, French sculptor Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi.
The gift also took time to be funded, with a decision taken that the French would pay for the statue and Americans would cover the costs of its pedestal.
Transported in 350 pieces from France, the statue was officially unveiled October 28, 1886.
Is France's government offering asylum to Lady Liberty?
No. French-US relations would have to drop off a cliff before Glucksmann found support from French President Emmanuel Macron's government.
For the moment, the French president is treading a fine line — trying to work with Trump and temper some of his policy shifts on the one hand but also pushing back hard against some White House decisions, notably Trump's tariff hikes.
Macron has let his prime minister, Francois Bayrou, play the role of being a more critical voice. Bayrou tore into the “brutality” that was shown to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his White House visit and suggested that Trump's administration risked handing victory to Russia when it paused military aid to Ukraine.
Glucksmann's party has been even more critical, posting accusations on its website that Trump is wielding power in an “authoritarian” manner and is “preparing to deliver Ukraine on a silver platter” to Russia.
In his speech, Glucksmann referenced New York poet Emma Lazarus' words about the statue, the “mighty woman with a torch” who promised a home for the “huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”
“Today, this land is ceasing to be what it was,” Glucksmann said.
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Cold-blooded murder: Priyanka slams Israel, says its actions show humanity means nothing to them
New Delhi, Mar 19 (PTI): Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday said the "cold-blooded" murder of over 400 innocent civilians by the Israeli government shows that humanity means nothing to them, and asserted that the more criminally they act, the more they reveals themselves for the "cowards" they truly are.
The Congress general secretary also said whether western powers choose to recognise this or to acknowledge their collusion in the "genocide" of the Palesitinian people or not, all citizens of the world who have a conscience, including many Israelis, see it.
Her remarks come in the wake of Israel's recent airstrikes across the Gaza Strip early Tuesday, killing more than 400 Palestinians. The assault had shattered a ceasefire in place since January.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the strikes, which killed mostly women and children, after Hamas refused Israeli demands to change the ceasefire agreement, according to media reports.
In a post on X, Priyanka Gandhi said, "The cold blooded murder of over 400 innocent civilians including 130 children by the Israeli government, shows that humanity means nothing to them. Their actions reflect an inherent weakness and inability to face their own truth."
"Whether western powers choose to recognise this or to acknowledge their collusion in the genocide of the Palesitinian people or not, all citizens of the world who have a conscience (including many Israelis), see it," she said.
The more criminally the Israeli government acts, the more they reveal themselves for the cowards they truly are, Priyanka Gandhi said.
On the other hand, the bravery of the Palestinian people prevails, she added.
"They have endured unimaginable suffering yet their spirit remains resilient and unwavering," she said, hailing the Palestinian people.
In a show of support for the people of Palestine, Priyanka Gandhi during the Winter session had carried a bag to Parliament that had "Palestine" emblazoned on it.
The Congress general secretary has been raising her voice against Israel's actions in Gaza and expressing solidarity with Palestinians.
The cold blooded murder of over 400 innocent civilians including 130 children by the Israeli government, shows that humanity means nothing to them.
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) March 19, 2025
Their actions reflect an inherent weakness and inability to face their own truth.
Whether western powers choose to recognise…
