United States President, Donald Trump has thrown his support behind embattled far-right leader, Marine Le Pen, after the French presidential hopeful was convicted of embezzlement and barred from political office.
Recall that Le Pen was last month banned from running in the 2027 French presidential election after being convicted of embezzlement.
However, in a post via his Truth Social media account on Friday, Trump insisted that it's so bad for France because Le Pen has worked hard for many years.
“I don’t know Marine Le Pen, but do appreciate how hard she worked for so many years,” he wrote.
“She suffered losses, but kept on going, and now, just before what would be a Big Victory, they get her on a minor charge that she probably knew nothing about – Sounds like a “bookkeeping”; error to me.
“It is all so bad for France, and the Great French People, no matter what side they are on. FREE MARINE LE PEN!”
The message from Trump is the latest high-profile endorsement from his administration of a far-right party in Europe.
This comes as Trump upends decades of post-World War Two security guarantees towards the continent with his “America First”; foreign and trade policies.
