U.S. President Donald Trump has criticized a French court’s decision to bar Marine Le Pen from running for office, calling it “a very big deal.”
Speaking Monday at a White House event on ticket reselling, Trump said, “I know all about it and a lot of people thought she wasn’t going to be convicted for anything.” He also highlighted Le Pen’s position as the leading candidate in polls ahead of the 2027 French presidential election, adding, “She was banned for five years and she was the leading candidate. That sounds like this country, that sounds very much like this country.”
Le Pen, the leader of France’s right-wing National Rally party, was found guilty of embezzling European Parliament funds and sentenced to a five-year ban from holding public office. The ruling, delivered Monday, means she will likely be unable to run for president in 2027.
The U.S. State Department also reacted to the decision, expressing concern over political exclusions. Spokesperson Tammy Bruce told reporters, “Exclusion of people from the political process is particularly concerning given the aggressive and corrupt lawfare waged against President [Donald] Trump here in the United States,” though she declined to comment specifically on Le Pen’s case.
Bruce also pushed back when a reporter referred to Le Pen as a far-right politician, saying, “I don’t know if that’s meant to be derogatory.”
Le Pen’s exclusion from the election could significantly reshape France’s political landscape, as she had been considered a frontrunner for the presidency.
