Close Your Borders’: Trump Blames Immigration For Unrest In France

US President Donald Trump on Monday again blamed immigration for the protests and violence in France, urging European countries and French President Emmanuel Macron to tighten border controls.

“What’s happening in France has to do with immigration, not schools, not anything,” Trump told reporters in Washington, reiterating remarks he made a day earlier. “It’s immigration, and I told President Emmanuel Macron, close up your borders.”

Demonstrations over soaring prices took place in Paris and several other French cities over the weekend, with some protests escalating into street violence described as among the worst the country has witnessed in recent years.

Recalling an earlier conversation with Macron, Trump said he had warned the French president that allowing large numbers of people to enter the country was a mistake.

“A long time ago, you’re making a big mistake in France. You’re letting everybody from the world come in. The whole world was coming in,” Trump quoted himself as telling Macron.

“Paris is going to be a Muslim city very soon,” the 80-year-old Republican added.

Trump also warned that Europe risked serious consequences if governments failed to strengthen border controls and remove people he described as criminals.

“If Europe doesn’t close its borders and bring the criminals out, like the people that are protesting, Europe is finished,” he said.

Restricting illegal immigration has been a central pledge of Trump’s political agenda, including his 2024 presidential campaign. During his campaign, he also made claims about immigration that were criticised for being false and for playing on racial fears.