Trump blames France unrest on ‘mass migration,’ Islam

The United States President, Donald Trump, has accused mass student protests in France of being driven by "mass migration" and Islam, ahead of the upcoming midterm elections at home. In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump stated, "What’s happening in France is nothing less than out of control mass migration.

This isn’t about schools, this is about Islam wanting to take over a once great Country!" The protests in France have blocked entrances to over 300 high schools since late September, with many turning violent. Despite the scale of the demonstrations, with a quarter of a million people taking to the streets on Tuesday alone, Trump and his administration have frequently linked European social issues to mass migration.

This narrative aligns with far-right parties and their warnings about a perceived decline in civilization. Trump's supporters within the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement have been utilizing the French protests to highlight immigration concerns prior to the US midterm elections next month. MAGA commentators have frequently shared videos of the unrest in France, with Trump ally Glenn Beck asserting on Monday that the riots in France serve as a "clear warning to the rest of the West."

Republicans are intensifying their focus on migration and anti-transgender rhetoric as they grapple with Trump's declining popularity and the potential for losing control of Congress due to his stance on the Iran war.