United States: the White House refuses to return the Statue of Liberty to France

“Absolutely not,” reacted White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt in a televised press conference, in response to the request from French MEP Raphaël Glucksmann.

“I would advise this little-known French politician to remember that it’s thanks to the United States that the French don’t speak German today,” added Ms. Leavitt, presumably referring to the alliance between France and the United States during the Second World War against Nazi Germany.

Indeed, Raphaël Glucksmann had declared on Sunday that he would no longer consider the United States to embody the values of the Statue of Liberty, and had suggested its return to France.

The statue, officially inaugurated in New York on October 28, 1886, was given to America as “a symbol of freedom, inspiration and hope”, according to the monument’s official website.

Installed in New York harbor, the statue quickly became a symbol of welcome for immigrants arriving by sea. Today, it remains one of New York’s most visited tourist sites.