Macron cites US-Iran war as France protests spread, as Trump blames migrants and communists

Summary

French President Emmanuel Macron cited the Iran war and its impact on fuel and living costs while addressing ongoing protests and unrest across France, according to Fox News. The Guardian reports that the unrest began as student protests against crumbling schools and the soaring cost of living. At a Kansas rally on Monday evening, Donald Trump described France as ‘conquered, looted, and burned to the ground by migrants, jihadists, and communists’ and tried to turn the unrest into a warning about immigration as Republicans face potential midterm losses.

Timeline

1. Fox News

   19 Oct 2026, 22:02 UTCSource ↗

   Fox News reports that Macron cited the Iran war and its impact on fuel and living costs while addressing ongoing protests and unrest across France.

2. The Guardian

   20 Oct 2026, 02:01 UTCSource ↗

   The Guardian reports that Trump, at a Kansas rally, described France as conquered by migrants, jihadists, and communists and tried to turn the protests over schools and the cost of living into a warning about immigration.