Macron rejects Trump comments on protests

France's President Emmanuel Macron hit back at United States President Donald Trump and other foreign leaders on Wednesday, accusing them of making "unacceptable and stupid" comments about recent street unrest in his country.

The US president had blamed Muslim immigrants and radical Islam for the violence seen across France over the weekend, urging Macron to "close your borders and take control".

The French government has admitted it "lost control" of the violence that shocked France and plunged Macron into crisis six months before elections to choose his successor.

Macron said there was no evidence of foreign interference in the riots themselves but accused foreign politicians of exploiting the unrest for their own domestic campaigns. He also warned that AI-generated videos and online manipulation had fueled misinformation in the aftermath.

"We have people who explained that we have been invaded by hordes of migrants and Islamists, which is totally false," Macron told reporters during a visit to Doha, Qatar.

"For me, there is no visible foreign interference in the events that took place. On the other hand, there was foreign manipulation of information which led to unacceptable and even stupid comments by many, including foreign leaders."

When asked if he was referring to Trump, Macron said, "Among others, but he is part of it."

Trump had seized on the unrest at campaign events this week in the US, blaming Muslim migrants without evidence. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also weighed in with criticism ahead of his own election next weekend, saying France had been hit by an "invasion of extremist Islam".

Macron added that some leaders "in the middle of election campaigns, whether here in the region or on the other side of the Atlantic" were "naively spreading narratives that certain circles are clearly trying to promote".

The French president said the individuals were "using our country for their own political campaigns. And we don't need that. We already have difficulties to deal with".

The president continued, saying, "You know, at times like this you see who loves France and who does not. All the people — it has to be said — all the people who are running down our country right now are people who don't love our country. So these people get on my nerves."

While denouncing the violence that turned some demonstrations into street battles, Macron pledged to "hear and respect the concerns, the disagreements".

jonathan@mail.chinadailyuk.com