French politician wants Statue of Liberty back as US has lost its way, Internet mocks 'ridiculous demand'

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: A French politician has just made the kind of demand that has a lot of Americans in stitches—he wants the United States to return the Statue of Liberty.

Raphael Glucksmann, a center-left Euro-deputy, threw down the gauntlet at a convention for his Place Publique movement. "Give us back the Statue of Liberty," he declared.

"We're going to say to the Americans who have chosen to side with the tyrants, to the Americans who fired researchers for demanding scientific freedom: 'Give us back the Statue of Liberty,’" he continued.

Glucksmann added, "We gave it to you as a gift, but apparently you despise it. So it will be just fine here at home."

Raphael Glucksmann vs Donald Trump

Of course, the Statue of Liberty demand isn’t coming out of nowhere. Raphael Glucksmann has been one of the loudest proponents of the war in Ukraine, and he’s made it crystal clear that he’s no fan of President Donald Trump.

With Trump back in the White House since January, cutting back on US aid to Ukraine and slashing federal research budgets, Glucksmann is not happy.

He even called out Trump’s deep cuts to US research institutions, which he claims France is more than happy to benefit from.

"The second thing we're going to say to the Americans is: 'If you want to fire your best researchers, if you want to fire all the people who, through their freedom and their sense of innovation, their taste for doubt and research, have made your country the world's leading power, then we're going to welcome them,'" he said.

Glucksmann also had some choice words for France’s far-right, accusing them of basically being a Donald Trump-Elon Musk fan club, the New York Post reported.

France gifted Statue of Liberty to America

Designed by French sculptor Auguste Bartholdi, the Statue of Liberty was a gift from France to the US—a grand gesture symbolizing friendship and the shared values of freedom and democracy.

The statue has been standing tall in New York Harbor since 1886, welcoming generations of immigrants and cementing herself as one of the most iconic symbols of America.

In case you’re wondering—she’s not exactly easy to pack up and ship back. She weighs a whopping 450,000 pounds and stands 305 feet tall, pedestal included.

Now, France does have a mini-version of the statue—a 1/4-scale replica gifted by the US in 1889 to celebrate the centennial of the French Revolution. It currently lives on the Allee des Cygnes, a little island in the Seine, just a stone’s throw from the Eiffel Tower.

But apparently, Glucksmann thinks that’s not enough.

Raphael Glucksmann roasted online for wild demand

As you can imagine, the call for a Statue of Liberty repossession did not go over well online. Social media users roasted Raphael Glucksmann with some brutal clapbacks.

"Tell France they can have it back when they figure out how to win a war without our help," one posted on X.

"Funny how the EU is over there blocking candidates from ballots and arresting people for memes critical of mass migration, yet they claim we’ve lost our way," another wrote.

"It’s actually the exact opposite. We’re returning to what the statue represents, and the French are moving away from what it represents," someone else offered.

"What a ridiculous demand. The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France to celebrate American freedom and democracy — not a loan. If anything, America has done more to uphold liberty than France in recent years. France censors speech, arrests citizens for online posts, and caves to globalist bureaucrats," a comment read.

"Meanwhile, millions still risk everything to come to America for the freedom and opportunity it represents. Maybe France should focus on fixing its own issues instead of making absurd demands about a statue that stands as a beacon of hope for the world," it added.

"Come & take it back if you dare. France wouldn't be a free country today if it wasn't for the United States," another chimed in.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.