White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was given a quick history lesson when she displayed her ignorance by telling France that the U.S. is the only reason they aren't "speaking German right now."
Leavitt made the remark in response to a question from Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy regarding comments made over the weekend by French MEP Raphaël Glucksmann.
France, the United States' oldest European ally, gifted the Statue of Liberty to the U.S. in 1886. The French Navy played a crucial role in aiding American forces in their victory over the British during the Revolutionary War, and the treaty that formally ended the war for independence was signed in Paris.
But between President Donald Trump's attacks against the European Union, threats to annex Canada, Greenland, and Panama, and ongoing global trade war, the world isn't too keen on mending their relationships with the U.S. Glucksmann made it clear that France will not abide America's betrayal, citing recent cuts to leading science and research agencies.
He said:
“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.'”
“We gave it to you as a gift, but apparently you despise it. So it will be just fine here at home.”
Glucksmann's remarks prompted Fox News reporter Peter Doocy to ask Leavitt the following question during the daily White House press briefing:
“There is now a member of the European Parliament from France who does not think the U.S. represents the values of the Statue of Liberty anymore. They want the Statue of Liberty back. So, is President Trump going to send the Statue of Liberty back to France?”
Leavitt responded with a historically inaccurate characterization of U.S.-France relations since World War II:
"Absolutely not, and my advice to that unnamed, low-level French politician would be to remind them that it’s only because of the United States of America that the French are not speaking German right now. So they should be very grateful to our great country."
You can hear what she said in the video below.
Critics were quick to remind Leavitt about the historical significance of the U.S.-France relationship.
When Glucksmann got wind of Leavitt's remarks, he affirmed that French gratitude for American wartime sacrifices is “eternal,” but added that “if the free world no longer interests your government, then we will take up the torch, here in Europe.”
He added:
“No one, of course, will come and steal the Statue of Liberty. The statue is yours. But what it embodies belongs to everyone.”
Glucksmann’s remarks also alluded to billion Elon Musk’s severe staffing and budget cuts to the U.S. federal government via his advisory Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which have impacted numerous health and climate research workers. He suggested that France could stand to benefit if any of the displaced workers chose to emigrate.
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