Trump Calls Le Pen Conviction 'a very big deal'
US President Donald Trump has noted that the criminal prosecution of French opposition leader Marine Le Pen reminds him of his own legal challenges during the previous administration. On Monday, Le Pen, the former leader of the conservative...
TroibNews 
US President Donald Trump has noted that the criminal prosecution of French opposition leader Marine Le Pen reminds him of his own legal challenges during the previous administration.
On Monday, Le Pen, the former leader of the conservative National Rally party, received a sentence of four years in prison, two of which are suspended, and she has been prohibited from holding public office for five years. This embezzlement conviction effectively disqualifies her from the 2027 presidential race.
When asked by reporters in the Oval Office about the verdict, Trump stated, “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,” he added. “But she was banned [from] running for five years, and she’s the leading candidate. That sounds very much like this country.”
Trump has frequently asserted that the legal cases and investigations surrounding his actions are part of a politically motivated “witch hunt” orchestrated by the Biden administration and Democrats.
US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce commented on Le Pen’s prosecution, calling it “particularly concerning, given the aggressive and corrupt lawfare waged against President Trump here in the United States.”
Prosecutors claim that Le Pen diverted EU funds intended for her staff’s work in the European Parliament to support her party's activities in France. She has denied any wrongdoing and labeled the verdict “a fatal day for our democracy.”
Le Pen’s party currently holds the most seats in the National Assembly. An Ifop poll published in Le Journal du Dimanche on Sunday indicated that 34-37% of respondents plan to vote for Le Pen in 2027, which is over 10 points ahead of her closest competitor, former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe. Le Pen has run for president three times, finishing as runner-up in 2017 and 2022.
Thomas Evans for TROIB News
On Monday, Le Pen, the former leader of the conservative National Rally party, received a sentence of four years in prison, two of which are suspended, and she has been prohibited from holding public office for five years. This embezzlement conviction effectively disqualifies her from the 2027 presidential race.
When asked by reporters in the Oval Office about the verdict, Trump stated, “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,” he added. “But she was banned [from] running for five years, and she’s the leading candidate. That sounds very much like this country.”
Trump has frequently asserted that the legal cases and investigations surrounding his actions are part of a politically motivated “witch hunt” orchestrated by the Biden administration and Democrats.
US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce commented on Le Pen’s prosecution, calling it “particularly concerning, given the aggressive and corrupt lawfare waged against President Trump here in the United States.”
Prosecutors claim that Le Pen diverted EU funds intended for her staff’s work in the European Parliament to support her party's activities in France. She has denied any wrongdoing and labeled the verdict “a fatal day for our democracy.”
Le Pen’s party currently holds the most seats in the National Assembly. An Ifop poll published in Le Journal du Dimanche on Sunday indicated that 34-37% of respondents plan to vote for Le Pen in 2027, which is over 10 points ahead of her closest competitor, former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe. Le Pen has run for president three times, finishing as runner-up in 2017 and 2022.
Thomas Evans for TROIB News
