US President Donald Trump has blamed France’s ongoing student protests on mass migration and Islam, claiming the unrest shows that Islam is seeking to “take over” France.
His comments came despite the protests being centred on school funding, understaffing and poor infrastructure, with no established link to religion or immigration.
“What’s happening in France is nothing less than out of control mass migration,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “This isn’t about schools, this is about Islam wanting to take over a once great country!” He provided no evidence to support the claim.
No major political force in France, including Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally, has linked the student movement to Islam or immigration. French officials and organisers say the protests are driven primarily by deteriorating school conditions, including staff shortages, maintenance problems and inadequate funding.
Trump’s remarks came as prominent voices in his Make America Great Again movement used images of the French unrest to warn Americans about immigration and the political left ahead of next month’s US midterm elections. Trump ally Glenn Beck described the protests as a warning to the West, while right-wing commentator Dave Rubin claimed similar unrest could reach the United States if Democrats return to power.
The protests spread across France on Tuesday, with students joined by teachers and parents. Police used tear gas and water cannons against violent groups on the fringes of demonstrations in several cities, including Paris, Strasbourg, Rennes and Toulouse.
France’s Interior Ministry said more than 250,000 people participated in demonstrations across dozens of cities, while organisers put the figure at around 450,000. The unrest has reportedly injured hundreds of students and school staff, as well as police officers.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu described the demonstrations as the most violent student unrest in decades. French President Emmanuel Macron also convened senior ministers for an emergency meeting as tensions escalated.
France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot pushed back against Trump’s interpretation, comparing his comments with statements made by Iran after Tehran criticised France’s handling of the protests.
Barrot said France was working to present its own account of the unrest rather than allowing foreign governments to define the narrative.
The student movement began in September in disadvantaged suburbs around Paris before spreading nationwide. Students have highlighted basic problems in schools, including water leaks, rat infestations and inadequate facilities.
The High School Students Union said more than half of France’s high schools had been blocked or closed for the day, while some education authorities moved classes online.
Rights groups, students and parents have accused authorities of using excessive force against minors. The government, however, says the movement has been infiltrated by outsiders and that some demonstrations have descended into urban violence.
According to France’s Justice Ministry, more than 1,800 people are facing prosecution over unspecified offences, including 1,483 minors.
The protests have become a major political flashpoint in France, where support for populist parties on both the far right and far left has grown ahead of the country’s next presidential election.
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