Donald Trump described Marine Le Pen as France’s “conservative voice,” against the backdrop of the violent riots and looting that have shaken the country in recent days. The U.S. president was critical of the way the leading figure of the French far right has been treated, but he refrained from clearly expressing his support for her candidacy in the 2027 presidential election.
Trump’s remarks came on Tuesday (October 20), at a time when the White House is using images of violence from France to bolster its anti-immigration rhetoric ahead of the U.S. midterm elections in November.
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When asked by a reporter from Agence France-Presse (AFP) if he intended to support Le Pen, the U.S. president replied: “I don’t know her, I haven’t met her, but I think she’s been treated badly.”
“She is clearly the conservative voice in France.”
Trump linked the political developments in France to last weekend’s violent clashes, arguing that the riots underscore the importance of the positions expressed by Marine Le Pen.
“After all this, she is clearly… she is the conservative voice,” he said.
Despite his positive reference to the far-right National Rally’s policy, he did not issue a formal statement of support for the 2027 presidential election.
His stance comes at a time of intense political confrontation in France, where the handling of protests, public safety, and immigration is at the center of the debate.
Le Pen’s Conviction and Return to the Presidential Race
Marine Le Pen was convicted in March 2025 of embezzlement of public funds in a case involving the management of European funds.
The first-instance ruling provided, among other things, for a five-year ban on holding public office, which had posed a serious obstacle to her bid for the French presidency.
However, in July 2026, the Paris Court of Appeals reduced the disqualification period to 45 months, 30 of which were suspended. Since the remaining 15 months had already been served, the ruling allowed her to run in the 2027 election.
At the same time, the court sentenced her to three years in prison—two of which were suspended and one to be served under electronic monitoring—as well as a fine of 100,000 euros. Le Pen announced that she will appeal to the French Court of Cassation.
The National Rally politician has already expressed her intention to run in the presidential election, while polls cited by AFP show her leading in the race.
Trump is using the unrest in France in his campaign
Recent developments in France have taken center stage in the U.S. president’s political rhetoric, as he presents them as a warning about the consequences of the immigration policies he opposes.
Ahead of the November midterm elections, in which Republican control of Congress is at stake, Trump has repeatedly cited images of destruction from French cities.
At a campaign rally on Monday in Kansas, he devoted a large part of his speech to the riots, claiming that France “is under attack, being looted and set on fire by immigrants, jihadists, and communists.”
His remarks are part of the Republicans’ effort to highlight immigration and security issues ahead of the U.S. election, using the unrest in France as an example of the dangers that, according to Trump, the United States could also face.
“Europe must close its borders”
This followed a post by the U.S. president on the Truth Social platform, in which he called on European governments to adopt stricter immigration policies.
“Europe must close its borders and expel the people who hate its countries. And it must expel them quickly, before it’s too late,” he wrote.
With his latest references to Marine Le Pen, Trump is once again intervening in the public debate over France’s political future, though he has avoided turning his praise into official electoral support.
His stance takes on particular significance as France approaches the 2027 presidential election, with recent unrest having brought the political debate over immigration, public order, and security.
Source: Proto Thema
