Trump Predicts Paris Will Be 'Muslim City Very Soon' Amid French Riots

Former President Donald Trump predicted on Monday that Paris will soon become a "Muslim city" and urged French President Emmanuel Macron to reduce migration into the country, stating that "bad people" should be removed. These remarks came as France grappled with widespread riots and looting.

Speaking to reporters as he left the White House, Trump recalled advising Macron against current immigration policies. "I told him a long time ago, ‘You’re making a big mistake in France. You’re letting everybody from the world come in. The whole world was coming in,'" Trump said. He reiterated his advice, stating, "Paris is going to be a Muslim city very soon, and that wasn’t the deal. That wasn’t the deal. I told Emmanuel, ‘You should close up your borders.'"

Trump's comments were made in response to a reporter's question about Macron blaming U.S. policy, specifically the conflict with Iran and its impact on global fuel costs, for France's internal discontent. Trump countered that Europe faces a more fundamental challenge.

"If Europe doesn’t close its borders and bring the criminals out, like the people that are protesting, Europe is finished. Europe has to close its borders, like I’ve been telling them for 10 years," Trump stated. He further elaborated that nations must remove immigrants who "hate their countries" to ensure their "chance of survival."

Mass protests in France, initially sparked by school conditions, have broadened to encompass concerns about the cost of living and inflation. Over the weekend, approximately 500,000 people demonstrated nationwide, with some smaller groups engaging in looting, attacking police, and starting fires in numerous stores. Footage from these protests reportedly shows participants from various racial groups.

Approximately 10% of France's population is Muslim, with a slightly higher concentration in Paris, many of whom are from former French-ruled territories in Africa and the Middle East. Trump asserted that France needs to expel immigrants who "hate the country. They hate the buildings. They hate the people. They hate the art. They have to close their borders and they have to take those bad people out.”

Trump had previously commented on the protests on October 6, suggesting that the unrest was indicative of "Islam wanting to take over a once great Country." This statement contrasted with the stance of populist conservative presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, who, prior to the recent surge in violence, had stated that "Islam is compatible with the Republic."