France’s Worst Unrest in Decades: What Triggered It and What Trump Said
US President Donald Trump has taken a dig at France after nationwide protests over living costs turned violent on Saturday. His remarks drew attention as Paris counted the damage from what some are calling the country’s worst unrest in decades.
Trump’s jibe
Trump joked that France seems to be a place where revolutions happen often. “Let’s go to France and join the revolution,” he said. US Vice President JD Vance also weighed in, blaming immigration policies for the unrest.
Trump: “Darling, the president just sent us $5,000. Let’s go to France… It’s a lovely place. No riots. No revolutions. You know, France seems to be so damn good for revolutions. It’s unbelievable.” 😂 https://t.co/5GF4j4ixEb
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) October 16, 2026
What happened on Saturday
Large marches against soaring prices and conditions in schools took place across France. Police clashed with demonstrators, and the protests descended into street violence, widespread looting and fires. Looters raided luxury shops, and fires damaged public buildings in Paris and Limoges. Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire said entire streets had been “devastated.”
Estimates of the turnout vary. Some reports say more than half a million people marched, while others put the figure at around 800,000. One report says more than 1,200 people were arrested.
How it started
The protests began last month at high schools in the working-class northern suburbs of Paris. Anger over teacher shortages and run-down school facilities grew into a wider movement over living costs. Teenagers have blockaded schools and joined marches that have at times turned violent, and the policing of the school protests has drawn criticism.
Political backdrop
The unrest comes about six months before elections to replace French President Emmanuel Macron, and it is clouding his final months in office. Similar cost-of-living protests have taken place elsewhere in Europe, including a march in Milan that also turned violent on Saturday.
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