Donald Trump has blamed immigration for the unrest sweeping France, although the demonstrations began with student grievances over school conditions before widening into protests against austerity and public spending cuts.
In a Truth Social post on Sunday 18 October 2026, the president declared that 'France is burning' and urged the country to close its borders. The demonstrations began in mid-September at high schools over teacher shortages and overcrowded classrooms before merging with a public-sector strike against austerity.
