US President Donald Trump has blamed the escalating student protests in France on “out-of-control mass migration” and Islam, dismissing the demonstrators’ stated grievances over deteriorating school conditions.
Trump made the comments Tuesday in a post on Truth Social as protests spread across France, with more than 250,000 people taking part in demonstrations nationwide.
“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!” Trump wrote.
The protests, which began in the Paris region in September, have centred on education rather than immigration or religion.
Students have complained about overcrowded classrooms, teacher shortages, deteriorating school buildings, inadequate facilities and demanding timetables.
The movement has spread to hundreds of secondary schools, with some demonstrations turning violent and prompting clashes with riot police.
By Tuesday, protests were reported in Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Strasbourg and other cities. Police used tear gas in some locations after protesters threw objects and fires were lit.
The scale of the unrest has grown rapidly since the movement began. More than 1,000 high schools were affected by strikes or protests on October 1, according to France’s Education Ministry.
The government has faced growing pressure to address the students’ complaints while authorities have also focused on violence and damage during some demonstrations.
The protests have been accompanied by a heavy police response. Thousands of people have been arrested since the movement began, most of them teenagers, while concerns have been raised over the use of force against minors.
The unrest has also become increasingly political ahead of France’s 2027 presidential election.
Politicians across the political spectrum have sought to link the demonstrations to broader disputes over government spending, inequality, immigration and the direction of the country.
Trump’s intervention places the French protests within a broader political narrative he has repeatedly promoted in the United States, where immigration has remained one of his administration’s central issues.
His allies and commentators in the Make America Great Again movement have also highlighted the French unrest while arguing that migration is contributing to social instability across Europe.
The intervention comes as Republicans prepare for the November US midterm elections, with control of Congress at stake.
Trump has frequently cited developments in Europe to reinforce his argument for tougher immigration restrictions and to warn about what he describes as cultural and political decline in Western countries.
However, the immediate demands driving the French student movement remain centred on education.
Students and teachers have pointed to overcrowded classrooms, staff shortages, dilapidated school buildings and inadequate resources as the main grievances behind the protests.
The demonstrations are expected to continue as French authorities attempt to address the demands while containing violence and property damage reported at some rallies.
