Raphael Glucksmann suggests Americans “apparently despise” the freedom the statue represents.
French MEP Raphael Glucksmann has called on the US to return the Statue of Liberty, arguing that President Trump’s recent policy changes go against the core values it embodies.
The Statue of Liberty, a gift from France to the US commemorating the centennial of American independence, was designed by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi and built by Gustave Eiffel. It has stood in New York Harbor since 1886 as a symbol of freedom and a beacon for immigrants.
Glucksmann, a center-left MEP and strong supporter of Ukraine, voiced his disapproval of Trump’s policies, including attempts to mediate peace between Moscow and Kiev, accusing Americans of “siding with tyrants” during a Place Publique party convention on Sunday.
“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 told a cheering crowd, according to Le Monde.
“The second thing we’re going to say to the Americans is: If you want to fire your best researchers, if you want to fire all the people who, through their freedom, their sense of innovation, and their taste for doubt and research, have made your country the world’s leading power, then we’re going to welcome them,” Glucksmann stated.
The son of the late philosopher Andre Glucksmann, he participated in the in Kiev in 2013, after serving as an advisor to former Georgian President Mikhail for over five years. He has also criticized EU leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron – a strong supporter of Ukraine – for what he deems “insufficient” support for Kiev.