Fact Check: Did France call US a ‘declining state’ and say ‘Trump is the sole reason for this’?
WASHINGTON, DC: Amid disagreements with Europe and NATO over the conflict in the Middle East, a rumor has been circulating on social media platforms claiming that French President Emmanuel Macron called the United States a “declining state” and accused President Donald Trump of being the reason behind it, triggering speculation and criticism.
Let us analyze and fact-check the viral claim.
Claim: France blames Trump for America's decline
According to the viral claim, France under Macron called the United States “a declining state,” and Trump is solely responsible for it. The claim has spread on various social media platforms such as Facebook, X, and Instagram, garnering hundreds of thousands of views.
The posts have attracted mixed reactions from online users, with many slamming the French president over the alleged statement.
Others appeared to agree with the remark and accused Trump of being responsible for several crises, including the war with Iran, rising gas prices, and inflation. The reactions suggested that many users believed the claim to be real.
Fact Check: False, no evidence to back the viral claim
However, the claim is false, as there is no evidence that France made such a statement. There are no official statements or reports from the European country or its president calling America a declining state or saying Trump is responsible for it.
A Google search for the claim yielded no relevant results from credible news outlets regarding the remark, which, if true, would likely have been widely covered by major organizations such as Reuters, AFP, BBC, and CNN.
A fact-check by Grok stated, “No, the claim made by the viral post is false and misleading. Macron has criticized Trump’s policies (tariffs, ally pressure, unilateral moves) and said the US is ‘gradually turning away from some of its allies.’
No official French statement labels America a ‘declining state’ or blames it all on Trump.”
Emmanuel Macron calls for Strait of Hormuz reopening
Earlier this month, Macron stepped more directly into the escalating Gulf crisis, calling for the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz after holding talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
With global shipping routes disrupted for nearly two months and energy markets under pressure, Macron said restoring freedom of navigation could become the first major step toward wider diplomatic progress.
In a detailed post on X following his conversation with Pezeshkian, Macron said he conveyed his “deep concern” over the continuing escalation in the region and condemned what he described as unjustified strikes on civilian infrastructure in the Gulf, as well as attacks involving commercial vessels.
