Former President Donald Trump has weighed in on the controversial conviction and ban from elective office of Marine Le Pen, the French hard-right politician and leader of the National Rally (RN) party.
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump drew parallels between his own legal battles and Le Pen’s predicament, labeling the situation a “very big deal” and expressing sympathy for her.
Trump Shows Solidarity with Le Pen
Trump openly sympathized with Le Pen’s conviction, saying it felt “very much like this country.”
He argued that her ban from running for office in France for five years, alongside her four-year prison sentence (half of which was suspended), was an example of political persecution.
Trump continued by explaining that Le Pen’s punishment mirrored the struggles he has faced, particularly with politically motivated prosecutions in the United States.
He added, “I know all about it, and a lot of people thought she wasn’t going to be convicted of anything.”
Le Pen’s Conviction and Sentence
Marine Le Pen, 56, was convicted of creating fake jobs at the EU Parliament and misusing funds to employ assistants who were actually working for her party.
As a result, she was banned from running for office for five years, alongside a four-year prison sentence, which she will serve with an electronic tag.
In addition, Le Pen was fined $100,000, and her party, the National Rally, faced a $2 million penalty.
While Le Pen is still eligible to hold her seat in the French Parliament, the ruling was a blow to her aspirations of running for president in 2027.
Legal Back-and-Forth and Le Pen’s Response
Despite the ruling, Le Pen has vowed to appeal her conviction, arguing that the court’s decision to disqualify her from future office before her appeals process was complete was a politically motivated act.
In an emotional interview, she claimed the decision was designed specifically to prevent her from running for president, calling it a “fateful day for our democracy.”
Le Pen’s fight for justice, she claimed, would continue, asserting that millions of French people still support her.
International Reactions to the Verdict
The verdict against Le Pen sparked backlash from conservative leaders across Europe and beyond.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticized the decision, stating that it deprived millions of French voters of fair representation.
She questioned the strength of the accusations against Le Pen but emphasized that no one who values democracy could support such a ruling.
The Kremlin also chimed in, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov expressing concerns about the erosion of democratic norms in European capitals.
Peskov implied that countries like France were increasingly undermining democratic processes during political trials.
The Debate Over Justice and Politics
In response to criticism, France’s public prosecutor, Remy Heitz, defended the ruling, insisting that the decision was based purely on legal grounds and not political motives.
Heitz stated that the judgment had been delivered by “three independent, impartial judges,” reinforcing the idea that justice, not politics, was at play.
Trump’s Legal Struggles and Public Support
Trump’s legal challenges, ranging from accusations of falsifying business records to investigations into his handling of classified documents, have been well-documented.
Despite these ongoing cases, Trump has consistently portrayed himself as a victim of a “witch hunt,” a stance that has found resonance with his supporters.
Similarly, his allies, including high-profile figures like Elon Musk, have echoed his criticism of politically motivated legal actions, framing them as efforts to silence political opponents.
As the international conversation surrounding Le Pen’s conviction continues, it seems that the intersection of law and politics remains a contentious issue, with figures like Trump and Meloni championing the defense of democracy against what they view as judicial overreach.