The United States (U.S.) President Donald Trump reacted to the verdict against French far-right politician Marine Le Pen, comparing her current situation to his own.
Trump said that the verdict against Le Pen is a “big deal” and recalled the verdict against him, issued in 2024.
“I know all about it, a lot of people thought she wouldn’t be convicted. That situation looks like something that would happen in the U.S.,” Trump said.
He also recalled that Le Pen was banned from political activity for the next five years and that she was the “biggest favorite” in the presidential elections set to take place in France in 2027.
Besides Trump, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce also commented, stating that “the U.S. is monitoring the situation in France.”
“Excluding people from the political process is a dangerous thing, especially considering what was done to President Trump here,” Bruce said, though she did not directly comment on the verdict against Le Pen.
To recall, Marine Le Pen was convicted of embezzling three million euros from the European Parliament fund. Instead of being used for members of this European Union (EU) body from the National Rally, Le Pen and others convicted in this case spent the money on the party in France.
In addition to the five-year ban from politics, Le Pen was sentenced to four years in prison, two of which are a suspended sentence, while the remaining two can be served under house arrest with an ankle monitor.
Trump, on the other hand, was convicted on 34 counts related to financial fraud concerning a payment to former adult film actress Stormy Daniels, but Judge Juan Merchan decided that he will not serve a prison sentence in this case.
