Macron rebukes Trump over claims about French unrest

French President Emmanuel Macron has condemned remarks by US President Donald Trump and other foreign leaders about violent protests in France, accusing them of spreading false claims and exploiting the disturbances for political advantage.

Speaking to reporters in Doha on Wednesday, Macron described foreign commentary on the unrest as “unacceptable and stupid”, rejecting suggestions that migrants and Islamist extremists were responsible for the violence. Asked whether his criticism included Trump, he replied: “Among others.”

Macron distinguished between interference in the demonstrations themselves and what he called manipulation of information afterwards. He said there was no visible evidence of foreign involvement in organising the unrest, but accused political figures abroad of amplifying misleading accounts of events in French cities.

The French leader specifically challenged assertions that the country had been overwhelmed by migrants and Islamists. Such descriptions were “completely false”, he said, warning that artificial intelligence had been used to create images showing incidents that had never occurred.

Trump had claimed that France was being looted and burned by migrants, jihadists and communists. The US president subsequently dismissed explanations linking the demonstrations to education and living costs, insisting instead that immigration was the central issue.

“It’s not about education. It’s about immigration,” Trump said on Tuesday. His remarks came as Republicans prepared for November’s congressional midterm elections, with immigration prominent in the party’s campaign messaging.

US Vice President JD Vance also linked the turmoil to migration, arguing on social media that Western governments had failed to address questions of integration. Neither administration official presented evidence establishing that immigrants were responsible for the nationwide disorder.

Macron said leaders facing elections were using France’s difficulties to advance their own political interests. He referred to politicians elsewhere in Europe and across the Atlantic who, he argued, had repeated fabricated material or promoted misleading interpretations of the disturbances.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu separately characterised the turmoil as an invasion of extremist Islam, an interpretation disputed by Macron’s account of the protests. Hungary’s prime minister also invoked the disturbances in support of tougher migration policies. The competing statements have sharpened disagreement over whether the unrest reflects domestic economic grievances or failures of immigration policy.

The diplomatic dispute follows a wave of demonstrations initially driven by grievances over education funding, household expenses and public services. Students, trade unions and Yellow Vest activists joined protests that drew large crowds, although many participants demonstrated peacefully.

Violence escalated on 17 October when rioting, looting and clashes with police struck several cities. Shops and public buildings were damaged, prompting criticism of the government’s ability to maintain order and protect businesses without restricting lawful protest.

French authorities have detained more than 2,500 people in connection with the disturbances. The scale of the arrests has intensified scrutiny of both the police response and the conduct of groups involved in attacks on property. Officials have not established that immigration or Islamist militancy caused the disorder.

Macron promised stronger security arrangements ahead of further demonstrations scheduled for Saturday, 24 October. Local curfews and restrictions on gatherings have already been introduced in affected areas, while additional police deployments are planned to prevent another outbreak of violence.

He said existing legislation provided sufficient powers to respond to the disturbances and that declaring a state of emergency was not currently necessary. The government would nevertheless use lawful measures against anyone attempting to provoke disorder, he said.

The president also rejected attempts to justify violence as a legitimate form of political expression. He maintained that democratic protest must remain distinct from attacks on people, businesses and public institutions, while acknowledging the importance of dialogue with unions and other political groups.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has held discussions with union representatives amid continuing demands for action on living costs and public spending. Organisers have indicated that protests could continue, keeping pressure on the government to address economic grievances alongside security concerns.

France’s foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, said his ministry could provide clarifications to governments whose representatives had circulated inaccurate accounts. The aim, he said, was to prevent unsupported allegations from being repeated or amplified on social media.

Macron made his remarks during a Gulf visit focused partly on securing additional energy supplies for France. He was speaking in Qatar, where discussions on fuel availability coincided with domestic concerns over household costs and pressure on public services.