President Donald Trump offered a swift apology to a reporter on Monday after initially dismissing her question as "fake news." The exchange occurred as Trump briefly addressed reporters before traveling to Kansas for midterm election campaigning.
When asked for his reaction to claims that French President Emmanuel Macron had blamed him for the violent riots sweeping France, Trump responded, "I think that's fake news." He then inquired about the reporter's affiliation. Upon learning she was Mary Margaret Olohan from The Daily Wire, Trump's tone shifted.
"Oh, Daily Wire's good. Sorry, the Daily Wire's good," Trump said with a smile. He proceeded to answer the question, stating that Macron is "a friend of mine" but asserting that he had advised the French president a long time ago that "You're making a big mistake in France. You're letting everybody from the world come in."
Trump elaborated, "The whole world was coming in, and you know, Paris is going to be a Muslim city very soon – and that wasn't the deal. That wasn't the deal." He added, "I told Emmanuel you should close up your borders, and let's see, I've known him for probably eight or nine years. I told him as soon as I met him, 'You're making a big mistake.' We closed our borders, he didn't. And you know what? His borders are a problem."
The president had previously voiced similar sentiments on his Truth Social platform over the weekend, sharing his reaction to images of unrest in France. "France is burning!" he declared on Sunday. "The immigration of people from an entirely different world, people with hatred in their hearts, has shattered that once great country. Close your Borders and take control, before it is too late!"
The protests in France began with teachers and students concerned about staff shortages but evolved into a broader movement against rising prices. The demonstrations saw participation from far-left politicians and activists. Images from the weekend depicted looters smashing into high-end stores, including Christian Dior and Louis Vuitton, and stealing luxury items.
In a Sunday night address, Macron attributed the "unbridled violence" to "agitators from far-Left fringe groups, joined by numerous criminals." He called for unity and vowed accountability for those involved in looting and acts against the Republic. Macron reported that nearly 2,400 people were arrested and almost 1,000 police and gendarmes were injured during the weekend's events.