US President Donald Trump has stated that the criminal trial of French opposition and right-wing leader Marine Le Pen reminds him of his own legal struggles during the administration of former President Joe Biden.
On Monday, French far-right leader Marine Le Pen was banned from running for political office for five years after being convicted of embezzling European Union funds, in a politically explosive ruling that has shattered her hopes of winning the presidency in 2027.
According to her lawyer, the court also ruled a four-year prison sentence with two years suspended, to be served under house arrest, and a €100,000 ($108,000) fine. Le Pen will file an appeal.
Trump’s Reaction on Le Pen’s Conviction
On La Pen’s conviction, reporters asked Trump in the Oval Office. Trump replied, “That’s a very big deal. I know all about it, and a lot of people thought she wasn’t going to be convicted of anything.”
“But she was banned [from] running for five years, and she’s the leading candidate. That sounds very much like this country.”
Trump has mentioned several times that the court cases and investigations into his activities were part of a politically motivated “witch hunt” led by the Biden administration and the Democrats.
US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce has said the prosecution of Le Pen is “particularly concerning, given the aggressive and corrupt lawfare waged against President Trump here in the United States.”
According to the prosecutors, Le Pen siphoned off EU funds intended for her staff’s work in the European Parliament to fund the activities of her party in France. She denied any wrongdoing and called the verdict “a fatal day for our democracy.”
‘I am Marine’ – Viktor Orban
Other leaders from Europe, such as her right-wing European allies, also quickly rallied to her defence after the decision.
“Je suis Marine,” (I am Marine) Viktor Orban, Hungary’s prime minister and a champion of socially conservative politics in Europe, posted on X following the conviction, with Italian right-wing leader and Dupty PM of Italy Matteo Salvini slamming the decision.
It has become a trend in Europe, where liberal and left-leaning governments try every tactic to happen to the right-wing parties and leaders to eliminate a strong opposition force to their rule. European leaders have left their traditional values of equality, freedom and democracy.
Le Pen’s party is the biggest party in France and holds the highest number of seats in the National Assembly. According to an Ifop poll published in Le Journal du Dimanche on Sunday, 34-37% of those surveyed said they plan to vote for Le Pen in 2027 – over 10 points more than her nearest rival, former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe. Le Pen ran for president three times, finishing second in 2017 and 2022.
