Trump says 'France is burning' and blames immigration as Macron prepares televised address

Donald Trump has declared “France is burning” and blamed immigration for the unrest sweeping French cities, in a Truth Social post published hours before Emmanuel Macron’s televised address to the nation (The Times).

“France is burning! The immigration of people from an entirely different world, people with hatred in their hearts, has shattered that once great country,” the US president wrote. “Close your Borders and take control, before it is too late!” (AFP, via The Hindu).

Trump’s post followed similar comments on Saturday from Vice President JD Vance, who wrote on X that “Western liberals imported the third world into France and other countries in the name of diversity and compassion” and ignored “fundamental questions of assimilation and compatibility” (AFP).

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said on X on Sunday that more than 2,000 people had been arrested and over 600 police officers, firefighters and paramedics injured, The Times and Al Jazeera’s live blog reported.

Macron will address the nation at 18:00 GMT (23:00 PKT) after meeting key ministers on Sunday, his office said (AFP, via TBS). The president said on Saturday there was “no room for violence in our Republic” and promised those who attacked prefectures and businesses would be prosecuted and punished.

Saturday’s demonstrations drew an estimated 550,000 people nationwide, the Interior Ministry said, and turned violent in Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Bordeaux, Nice and Strasbourg. The 143-year-old town hall in Limoges was largely destroyed by arson, and a tourist office in Lyon was burnt down (Al Jazeera).