White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt just embarrassed the U.S. on the world stage. Responding to a French politician’s call for the return of the Statue of Liberty, she arrogantly declared, “It’s only because of the United States of America that the French are not speaking German right now.”
This is not just wrong—it’s an insult to history and to one of America’s oldest allies. Without France, there might not even be a United States. The American Revolution was won with French money, weapons, soldiers, and naval power. The decisive victory at Yorktown? That was because the French fleet blocked the British.
Leavitt’s ignorance also erases France’s enormous sacrifices in both World Wars. In World War I, France lost over 1.3 million soldiers holding the line against Germany long before the U.S. entered the fight. In World War II, despite occupation, the French Resistance and Free French forces fought relentlessly alongside the Allies.
The idea that the U.S. single-handedly “saved” France is simplistic, arrogant, and historically false. France fought, bled, and died in both wars. America helped, but it was a partnership—not a one-way rescue mission.
This kind of thoughtless nationalism damages diplomacy. The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France, symbolizing friendship and shared values. Leavitt’s flippant response dishonors that bond and makes the U.S. look like an ungrateful bully.
Americans deserve leaders who understand history, respect allies, and don’t make reckless statements that embarrass the country. Ignorance has no place in the White House.
