The White House responded by saying that “it's only because of the United States of America that the French are not speaking German right now.”

French politician Raphaël Glucksmann called for the return of the Statue of Liberty — a gift from France — in a symbolic critique of the Trump administration.

A French politician suggested the two countries no longer share the values that inspired the gift more than a century ago. The White House sharply rejected his request, which he described as symbolic.