US President Donald Trump on Sunday (October 18, 2026) considered immigration to be the cause of the unrest taking place in France, and urged Paris to “close the borders,” in the wake of widespread protests that included acts of violence.
Trump said in a post on his social platform, Truth Social: “France is burning! The immigration of people from a completely different world, people with hatred in their hearts, has destroyed that once great country.” He added, "Close your borders and maintain control, before it is too late!"
Trump has previously held immigration and Islam responsible for the massive student protests taking place in France since last September.
Trump's post was followed by similar statements made by his Vice President, J.D. Vance. “Western liberals exported the Third World to France and other countries in the name of diversity and compassion,” Vance wrote on X. “They ignored fundamental questions of inclusion and conformity. They were told it would come here but they refused to listen.”
Vance added: “I pray that France, a beautiful country with wonderful people, can put an end to this madness before more of its landmarks are destroyed by fire.”
Vance, who is seen as a potential candidate for the 2028 presidential election, linked the unrest in France to the midterm congressional elections scheduled for November 3, in which Republicans are expected to decline.
On Sunday, France was examining the extent of the damage it had suffered after a day of violence, looting, and chaos that saw the arrest of more than 1,800 people and overshadowed a protest scene in which hundreds of thousands participated, denouncing the high cost of living and the decline in public services, six months before the presidential elections.
Demonstrations across the country turned into riots yesterday, Saturday, as a municipal building was set on fire, stores were looted, the walls of buildings were filled with drawings and graffiti, and violent groups clashed with the police in cities across the country.
One of the demonstrators died after suffering a heart attack during demonstrations in Paris, during which the police recorded an unprecedented number of arrests, amounting to 855 cases. Across France, the Interior Minister said that police arrested about 1,800 people in total and more than 500 police officers were injured.
More than half a million people participated in marches in dozens of cities, in a convergence between a student movement that has been ongoing for about a month and broader social dissatisfaction with the rising costs of living and the decline in public services.
President Emmanuel Macron's office said that he will address the nation at eight o'clock local time (1800 GMT) on Sunday.
Hundreds of thousands protested peacefully, but violent groups targeted public buildings, looted luxury stores and department stores, and attacked police cars and personnel.
A massive cleaning operation began in cities extending from Lille in the north to Marseille in the south and from Strasbourg in the east to Bordeaux in the southwest, where a crowd of masked people stormed the residence of a local official.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said that several hundred stores were damaged yesterday, Saturday.
In Paris, smashed storefronts, burned bikes and slogans scrawled in paint bore witness to a day that began largely as peaceful demonstrations but turned violent.
The unrest has increased pressure on Macron and his government as next year's presidential elections approach. Prime Minister Sebastian Lecorno blamed the unrest on the "extreme left" and criminals.
Economy Minister Roland Lescure pledged on Sunday to support business owners who suffered losses. He said in a statement: “Those who destroy property will pay the price, repair the damage, and will be held accountable for their intention to spread chaos.”
