Macron accuses Trump and other foreign leaders of ‘stupid comments’ about France unrest

Leaders criticized for spreading misleading information as France prepares for further protests this weekend.

Emmanuel Macron, the French president, has accused Donald Trump and other foreign leaders of making "stupid comments" regarding the unrest in France for political gain. This statement came as the country braced for more protests this weekend.

During a visit to Qatar, Macron did not specify names but mentioned that the "manipulation of information" following Saturday's riots led to comments that were "as unacceptable as they are stupid, from many people, including foreign leaders." When asked if he was referring to Trump, Macron replied: "Among others."

Trump has attributed the violence in France to "migrants, jihadists, and communists" as he campaigns for the upcoming midterm elections. Macron stated that some leaders, amidst their election campaigns, were naively spreading narratives that certain circles are trying to promote, using France for their political agendas. He emphasized, "And we don’t need that. We already have difficulties to deal with."

Macron also highlighted the circulation of AI-generated images depicting events that never occurred in France, stating, "We’ve had people claiming that we were invaded by hordes of migrants and Islamists, which is completely false."

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has also claimed that France is experiencing an "invasion of extremist Islam" as he faces elections next weekend. Analysts have dismissed the notion that migrants are the primary cause of the protests in France.