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US President Donald Trump on Monday blamed French President Emmanuel Macron’s immigration policies for the riots and protests rocking France, claiming the unrest could have been avoided if his European counterpart had heeded his advice on immigration.
“Paris is going to be a Muslim city very soon, and that wasn’t the deal,” Trump said, alleging that the influx of immigrants had significantly changed the French capital’s demographics.
Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Trump said he had warned Macron years ago against allowing large numbers of immigrants to enter France.
.@POTUS on the France riots: "Paris is going to be a Muslim city very soon, and that wasn't the deal... Emmanuel should've closed his borders a long time ago. I told him to do it." https://t.co/Ep8mzgPVq8— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 19, 2026
“He’s a friend of mine. I told him a long time ago, you’re making a big mistake in France. You’re letting everybody from the world come in,” Trump said. “The whole world was coming in. And as you know, Paris is going to be a Muslim city very soon, and that wasn’t the deal. That wasn’t the deal.”
Trump’s remarks came as France imposed localised curfews and restrictions on public gatherings in Paris, Lille, Nice and other cities following a weekend of riots, looting and clashes between protesters and police. The unrest has intensified pressure on Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu’s government over security failures, damage to businesses and mounting public anger ahead of the next presidential election.
FRANCE IMPOSES CURFEWS AFTER WEEKEND OF VIOLENCE
The French government opted for targeted restrictions rather than a blanket curfew in Paris. Lecornu said localised measures were more appropriate at this stage, while leaving open the possibility of declaring a state of emergency.
“My determination to restore order is absolute,” Lecornu told reporters.
Paris police prohibited protests in certain areas of the capital from 8 pm on Monday and imposed a curfew around Place de la Republique and Les Halles from 11 pm until 6 am on Tuesday. Additional police personnel were deployed to enforce the restrictions.
According to France’s Interior Ministry, around 2,400 people were arrested and nearly 1,000 officers were injured during the unrest. One protester died after suffering a cardiac arrest on Saturday.
The Federation of Trade and Retail said nearly 3,000 shops had been affected by the violence over the weekend, prompting calls for government assistance to businesses hit by the destruction.
MACRON CONDEMNS DESTRUCTION, CALLS FOR RESTRAINT
Earlier, Macron condemned the destruction in a televised address to the nation, expressing anger and shame over the scenes of violence.
“Nothing justifies it, nothing explains it, nothing excuses it,” Macron said, questioning how French citizens could carry out such acts against their own country.
The French president acknowledged that people participating in peaceful protests had legitimate grievances but stressed that their demands should not be conflated with the actions of those involved in violence and destruction.
Macron stopped short of declaring a state of emergency but said the government would empower local authorities to ban demonstrations when necessary to protect public buildings and businesses.
The unrest has placed the French government under mounting pressure to restore order, protect commercial establishments and address public concerns over security as authorities continue to enforce restrictions in affected areas
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