President Trump Demands France Close Its Borders as Violent Riots Leave Thousands Arrested and Cities Devastated

President Trump is urging France to immediately close its borders after a weekend of violent riots left major cities overwhelmed by looting, arson and attacks on police officers, raising serious questions about the French government’s ability to maintain public order.

The president issued his warning Monday morning as French authorities struggled to contain the unrest, which resulted in approximately 2,400 arrests and widespread destruction across Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Lille and other cities.

“The migrants have taken over France,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “They must CLOSE THE BORDERS, FAST!”

His comments followed days of violent confrontations between demonstrators and law enforcement, with businesses ransacked, vehicles set ablaze and public buildings targeted by rioters.

The disturbances began amid demonstrations over deteriorating public services, education funding and the rising cost of living. The protests subsequently escalated as far-left activists and criminal groups engaged in widespread destruction.

Trump has attributed the crisis to France’s immigration policies, although French authorities have primarily blamed radical left-wing groups and opportunistic criminals for the violence.

The president delivered a similar warning Sunday, arguing that uncontrolled immigration had contributed to France’s deteriorating security situation.

“France is burning!” Trump declared in an earlier Truth Social post, urging French officials to regain control of their country before conditions worsened.

The scale of the violence has forced French President Emmanuel Macron’s government to consider extraordinary security measures.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced Monday that regional authorities would be instructed to impose limited curfews in areas experiencing the most serious disturbances.

The restrictions are intended to prevent additional looting and attacks while allowing police to concentrate their resources in neighborhoods where violence has been particularly severe.

Lecornu emphasized that the curfews would be geographically targeted rather than imposed across entire cities.

Despite the extensive destruction, the prime minister expressed relief that no deaths had been reported during Saturday’s violence.

“On Saturday, despite scenes of severe violence and extensive property damage, no one was killed, and that is a miracle,” Lecornu said.

The absence of fatalities offered little comfort to business owners who returned to damaged storefronts and looted properties following the weekend’s unrest.

Nearly 3,000 businesses were reportedly affected by vandalism or looting, while hundreds of police officers and other security personnel were injured during confrontations.

Authorities deployed approximately 60,000 police officers and other security personnel in an attempt to maintain order.

In Marseille, officials imposed a temporary prohibition on protests and public gatherings Monday between noon and 8 p.m.

The Mediterranean port city experienced serious disturbances as crowds targeted businesses and clashed with police.

Paris also suffered extensive damage, with burned vehicles, broken windows and debris scattered across streets following repeated confrontations.

In the city of Limoges, rioters set fire to the historic town hall, causing devastating damage to a building that had stood for generations.

Other public buildings and commercial properties were attacked in Lyon and additional French cities.

The destruction prompted Macron to deliver a televised address Sunday condemning those responsible.

The French president accused radical groups of exploiting legitimate public grievances to attack national institutions and spread disorder.

“Those who looted will have to pay for the damage, and those who sought to bring down the Republic will be held accountable,” Macron declared.

He attributed much of the violence to extremist elements from the far left, joined by individuals engaging in criminal activity.

The crisis has also exposed disagreements within the French government over whether authorities were adequately prepared.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez offered his resignation Sunday after acknowledging serious failures in anticipating the scale and intensity of the disturbances.

Macron rejected the resignation, instructing Nuñez to remain in his position while overseeing the law enforcement response and examining what went wrong.

Nuñez publicly acknowledged that authorities had lost control in parts of several major cities.

He said it would be impossible to tell business owners that the situation had remained under control when hundreds of commercial establishments had been looted.

The interior minister also promised improvements in intelligence gathering and preparations for future demonstrations.

French officials are now reviewing their response while considering additional measures to prevent further destruction.

The violence has intensified political disagreements over public safety, immigration and the government’s ability to protect residents and businesses.

Trump’s intervention places particular attention on France’s border policies and its participation in Europe’s Schengen Area.

The agreement allows people to travel between 29 European countries without routine passport inspections at most internal borders.

France can temporarily restore certain border controls under applicable European rules, although closing its borders entirely would involve significant legal, economic and logistical complications.

Trump has repeatedly argued that European governments should adopt stronger immigration restrictions and prioritize national sovereignty.

His latest warning comes as immigration enforcement remains a major priority of his own administration.

The president has emphasized border security throughout his political career, maintaining that governments have a responsibility to determine who enters their countries and enforce immigration laws.

Vice President JD Vance has also commented on the French unrest, connecting the disturbances to broader concerns about immigration and integration in Western societies.

French officials, however, have not established that immigration was the cause of the nationwide protests, which began over education and economic grievances.

The violence has nevertheless intensified scrutiny of Macron’s government and its handling of public safety.

French opposition figures, including Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, have criticized the administration’s response and demanded stronger action to restore order.

Meanwhile, officials are preparing additional security deployments and legal proceedings against those arrested during the disturbances.

The government has also discussed the possibility of declaring a state of emergency if the situation deteriorates further, although localized curfews remain its immediate response.

For businesses and residents affected by the destruction, the priority is restoring security and preventing another round of attacks.

Trump’s message to French leaders is that stronger border enforcement should be part of that response.

As French authorities begin assessing the damage and pursuing those responsible, the president’s warning has added an international dimension to a domestic crisis that has already placed Macron’s government under substantial pressure.