Donald Trump used a rally in Kansas on Monday evening to address nationwide protests in France that erupted into looting and clashes with police, leading to 1,800 arrests.
Speaking to the crowd, Trump described France as a once-great nation that had been conquered, looted, and burned to the ground by migrants, jihadists, and communists.
The demonstrations in France began weeks ago with student protests over crumbling schools, teacher shortages, and the soaring cost of living, before broadening into nationwide protests on Saturday over rising fuel prices and falling purchasing power.
As Republicans face midterm losses ahead of November's elections, Trump is attempting to turn the unrest in France into a cautionary tale for American voters.
The ongoing demonstrations have added pressure on Emmanuel Macron six months before an April election to choose his successor, with Trump and Vance having both publicly backed Marine Le Pen.