French Government Officials Ask US to Return Statue of Liberty

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KOMPUTER JADUL-, A French government parliamentarian, Raphael Glucksmann, has called on his country France to take back the Statue of Liberty that was given to the United States (US). According to him, the US no longer represents the values ​​that underlie the gift of the statue. "We want to say to the US people who side with tyrants, to the US people who fire researchers for demanding scientific freedom: 'Give us back the Statue of Liberty'", said Glucksmann, at a convention of his political movement, Place Publique, on Sunday (3/16/2025).

"We gave it as a gift, but it seems you don't appreciate it. So, it's better to return the statue here," he said in front of his cheering supporters. It is known that the Statue of Liberty was a gift from the French people to the US and was designed by French artist Auguste Bartholdi.

The statue was inaugurated in New York City harbor on October 28, 1886 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence. However, Paris also has a much smaller replica of the Statue of Liberty located on a small island in the Seine River.

Glucksmann, who is known as a strong supporter of Ukraine, has been a strong critic of US President Donald Trump's policy changes towards the war in the country. He also highlighted Trump's cuts to research funding in the US. Therefore, the 45-year-old man urged the French government to attract US scientists to work in France.

"The second thing we want to say to the US is if you want to fire your best researchers, get rid of all the people who have made your country a world power through innovation and research, then we will welcome them here," Glucksmann added. For information, since returning to office in January, the Trump administration has cut federal funding for research and tried to lay off hundreds of government workers working in the fields of health and climate research.

Glucksmann also criticized all right-wing leaders in France, who he said were also big fans of Donald Trump and Elon Musk.