Donald Trump Defends Marine Le Pen: Calls Legal Case ‘Witch Hunt’ and Political Lawfare

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has come to the defense of Marine Le Pen, the prominent French nationalist leader, after her recent conviction barred her from running in the 2027 French presidential election. In a fiery post on X (formerly Twitter), Trump compared Le Pen's legal troubles to his own, accusing European leftists of using "lawfare" to silence political opponents.

"The Witch Hunt against Marine Le Pen is another example of European Leftists using Lawfare to silence Free Speech and censor their Political Opponent," Trump wrote. He described the case as a politically motivated effort to derail her career, just as she appeared poised for a major victory. "They get her on a minor charge that she probably knew nothing about-sounds like a 'bookkeeping' error to me," he added, dismissing the allegations as trivial.

Le Pen, leader of France's National Rally party, was sentenced to a two-year prison term and fined, effectively disqualifying her from the next presidential race. Despite leading in early opinion polls, her conviction has ignited fierce debate, with critics like Trump and billionaire Elon Musk framing it as an assault on democracy.

Trump drew parallels between Le Pen's legal battles and his own, referencing figures like Norm Eisen, Andrew Weissmann, and Lisa Monaco -prosecutors involved in cases against him-whom he labeled "Lunatics and Losers." He claimed their efforts failed because the American public saw through what he called "corrupt" legal tactics.

The case has divided public opinion.

Supporters of the legal action argue that Le Pen's conviction upholds the rule of law, while her allies see it as an attempt to sideline a formidable political rival. "It is all so bad for France, and the Great French People, no matter what side they are on," Trump concluded, calling for her release with the rallying cry: "FREE MARINE LE PEN!"