France protests: Macron criticises foreign leaders for spreading misinformation

• French President Emmanuel Macron accused foreign leaders, including Donald Trump, of exploiting France’s unrest for political gain and spreading misleading narratives

• Macron rejected claims that France was being overrun by migrants and Islamists, warning that AI-generated images were fueling misinformation

• Foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot offered to clarify false claims, as Macron criticised foreign politicians for amplifying misinformation about France

French President Emmanuel Macron has accused foreign leaders, including those in the United States, of exploiting France’s tense social climate for political gain following a weekend of violence and unrest in several French cities.

Macron criticised foreign leaders for spreading what he described as misleading narratives about the unrest, including claims linking the violence to immigration and the growing presence of Islamists. He also raised concerns over the circulation of artificial intelligence (AI)-generated images depicting incidents that had not taken place in France.

The remarks came amid protests over rising living costs and concerns about education, which have drawn international attention. US President Donald Trump has blamed immigration for unrest in parts of Europe, warning that France and Italy could face further instability unless their governments tighten border controls.

However, French authorities have attributed much of the recent violence to radical groups, while Macron rejected claims that the country was being overwhelmed by migrants and Islamists.

Speaking about the spread of information following the weekend’s looting in Paris and other French cities, Macron said there had been “foreign manipulation of information in the aftermath” of the incidents.

He also criticised comments made by several foreign leaders in response to the situation, describing them as “unacceptable” and “stupid”.

When a reporter asked whether he was referring specifically to Trump, Macron replied, “Among others”.

The French president also dismissed Trump's assertion that France was being overrun by migrants and Islamists, calling the claim “completely false”.

Macron highlighted the role of AI-generated content in spreading misinformation, pointing to images portraying scenes that had never occurred in France. He warned that such material was helping fuel misleading accounts of the unrest and shaping perceptions of the situation abroad.

“AI-generated images depicting scenes that never actually happened in France. We've had people claiming that we were invaded by hordes of migrants and Islamists, which is completely false,” Macron said.

Meanwhile, French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said his office was prepared to provide the countries concerned with clarifications to counter inaccurate information and prevent the further spread of false claims.

Barrot said the assistance would help foreign governments avoid circulating or amplifying misleading content on social media.

Macron also expressed frustration with those criticising France amid the unrest, suggesting that some of their remarks reflected a lack of goodwill towards the country.

“The fact is, all the people who are speaking ill of our country right now are people who don't love our country,” he said. “So those people really bother me.”

The French president further accused some political leaders of using the situation to advance their domestic political agendas, particularly those campaigning in elections.

“When I see leaders who are in the middle of election campaigns, whether in the region or on the other side of the Atlantic — who sometimes naively repeat AI-generated content or spread narratives that certain circles are clearly trying to promote about what happened in France — they're using our country for their own political campaigns... And we don't need that,” Macron said.

His comments underscore growing concerns in France over the role of misinformation, foreign influence and AI-generated material in shaping public debate during periods of social unrest. They also highlight tensions between Paris and foreign political figures over how the violence should be interpreted, particularly regarding immigration, security and the causes of public disorder.

With IANS inputs