Emmanuel Macron Slams Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu Over ‘Stupid Comments’ on France Unrest (Video)

French President Emmanuel Macron has criticized remarks made by foreign leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing them of exploiting France’s recent domestic unrest to advance their own political agendas.

Speaking Wednesday during a diplomatic visit to Doha, Macron pushed back against foreign narratives attributing the recent protests to immigration and radical Islam. He specifically singled out the spread of artificial intelligence-generated misinformation that distorted the scale and nature of the violence.

Macron Hits Back at Foreign Commentary

Addressing reporters during his trip to Qatar, Macron argued that international figures were campaigning "at France's expense" following a weekend of widespread demonstrations that were marred by localized rioting and looting.

"As far as I'm concerned, there is no visible foreign interference in the events that took place," Macron said. "There has been foreign manipulation of information in the aftermath, which led to equally unacceptable and stupid comments from many people, including foreign leaders." France Extends Curfews After Violent Protests Over Rising Living Costs, Massive Security Operation Planned.

Macron Slams Trump, Netanyahu Over Remarks on France Unrest, AI-Generated Misinformation

French President Emmanuel Macron criticises world leaders for making "stupid" comments about ongoing rioting in France—in an apparent swipe at US President Donald Trump and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu. https://t.co/2Cljk2dRNB

— euronews (@euronews) October 21, 2026

Macron denounced the circulation of fabricated imagery and exaggerated claims circulating online. "We've seen AI-generated images showing scenes that never actually happened in France," he noted. "We have people who explained that we had been invaded by hordes of migrants and Islamists."

When asked directly whether his remarks were aimed at Donald Trump, Macron responded, "Among others, yes." France Arrests 1,800 After Nationwide Protests Turn Violent, Businesses Looted and Public Buildings Attacked.

Claims from Washington and Jerusalem

The French president’s comments followed public statements from both Washington and Jerusalem that characterized the French unrest as an immigration crisis.

Speaking outside the White House earlier in the week, Trump claimed the disturbances in France were solely tied to border policy rather than socioeconomic grievances. Trump asserted that Paris would soon become a "Muslim city" and warned American voters that similar scenes could unfold in the U.S. if immigration enforcement was relaxed.

In a separate interview with the French-language network i24News on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also faulted Paris's handling of the unrest. Netanyahu alleged that French authorities had "succumbed to the invasion of extremist Islam" and urged the government to "fight back" rather than pursue what he described as appeasement.

Protests, Rioting, and Curfews

The international friction follows mass demonstrations across France organized by labor unions, student groups, and Yellow Vest activists protesting the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. While the majority of marches remained peaceful, violent clashes and coordinated looting broke out in several major metropolitan centers on October 17.

Nationwide, authorities reported more than 2,400 arrests over the weekend after storefronts, luxury retailers, and municipal buildings were targeted.

In Bordeaux, local officials imposed a week-long night curfew for unaccompanied minors following extensive property damage in the city center. The measure, which runs through October 26, bars minors under 18 from public streets between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. unless accompanied by a legal guardian.

Macron is scheduled to return to Paris to lead an emergency meeting with cabinet ministers and intelligence chiefs to review security operations and receive a formal assessment of the weekend's unrest.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 22, 2026 11:30 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).