Trump blames French student protests on migration and Islam
Trump posted on Truth Social that the protests were driven by "out of control mass migration" and Islam, saying the movement was about Islam attempting to take over France rather than problems with schools
US President Donald Trump has attributed widespread student-led protests in France to mass migration and Islam, while the students' stated demands have focused on teacher shortages and deteriorating school facilities.
Trump posted on Truth Social that the protests were driven by "out of control mass migration" and Islam, saying the movement was about Islam attempting to take over France rather than problems with schools, says the New York Times.
The students' demands, however, focus on addressing teacher shortages and improving school facilities. Neither immigration nor religion is included in their requests.
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French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said the movement lacks unified national demands because it originated from local issues.
The demonstrations began on 21 September at a high school in a suburb of Paris, where students protested teacher shortages and poor building conditions. Students described classrooms that lacked ventilation and had windows that could barely be opened.
The protests later escalated, with clashes involving police and school officials reported across France. More than 100 students, demonstrators and police officers have been injured.
Among the most serious injuries, a 15-year-old lost his hand and lower arm after picking up a police stun grenade. Other students suffered eye injuries and lost teeth, according to the information provided.
Education Minister Édouard Geffray said at least 24 schools had been set on fire or ransacked.
Trump's comments have received support from some conservatives and media commentators. Fox News co-host Tomi Lahren echoed his claims and pointed to European Union immigration policies.
The EU recently enacted an immigration overhaul that increases deportations and includes the construction of offshore detention centres. Critics have compared the measures with immigration enforcement by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement under Trump's administration.
The dispute comes amid broader diplomatic tensions between France and the United States. French President Emmanuel Macron previously described the Trump administration as "openly anti-European" and accused it of seeking to "weaken and subordinate" Europe, amid disagreements over tariffs and Greenland.
The protests have therefore become part of a wider political dispute, even as the demands cited by students have remained focused on conditions in French schools.
