Development in French Embezzlement Case Draws Reaction From Trump

French politician Marine Le Pen has been banned from seeking office for five years after being convicted of embezzlement, a decision that President Donald Trump called a “very big deal” as Le Pen’s party mobilizes nationwide protests against what they call a politically motivated verdict.

Key Takeaways

Marine Le Pen has been convicted of embezzling European Parliament funds and sentenced to a four-year prison term (two years suspended) and a five-year ban from public office.
National Rally party president Jordan Bardella has called the verdict “disproportionate, political and partisan” and has called for nationwide peaceful protests.
Le Pen plans to appeal the ruling in hopes of overturning it before the 2027 presidential election.
President Donald Trump has commented on the conviction, appearing to draw parallels to his own legal challenges.
The conviction significantly impacts France’s political landscape, leaving the 2027 presidential race open to new competitors.

Le Pen’s Conviction and Sentence

Marine Le Pen, a member of France’s National Rally (RN) party, has been found guilty of embezzling European Union funds in what prosecutors described as a fake jobs scam. The Paris court convicted Le Pen and 24 others from her party of misusing European Parliament funds between 2004 and 2016. The court imposed a four-year prison sentence on Le Pen, with two years suspended and two years likely to be served under home detention, along with a substantial fine of 100,000 euros. Most significantly, the court imposed an immediate five-year ban from holding public office.

The verdict effectively bars Le Pen from running in the 2027 French presidential election unless her planned appeal is successful. This represents a dramatic setback for a political figure who has reached the final round of the last two presidential elections and was widely expected to be a leading contender in 2027. The court ruling found that Le Pen and other RN officials had used European Parliament funds meant for parliamentary assistants to instead pay party staff who were working on domestic French political activities.

President Trump says Le Pen’s ban on seeking office in France ‘very big deal’ https://t.co/7m2AI8E6Bv

— The Hill (@thehill) April 1, 2025

Trump’s Reaction

President Donald Trump reacted to Le Pen’s conviction by calling it a “very big deal” during remarks to reporters. Trump’s comments appeared to draw parallels between Le Pen’s legal troubles and his own ongoing legal battles. “I know all about it,” he said. “And a lot of people thought she wasn’t going to be convicted of anything. “And I don’t know if it means conviction, but she was banned for running for five years and she was the leading candidate.” He then went on to add, “That sounds like this country, it sounds very much like this country.”

Trump’s interest in the case comes as international right-wing figures have begun to rally around Le Pen, with Italy’s deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini also publicly criticizing the ruling.

President Trump says Le Pen’s ban on seeking office in France ‘very big deal’ https://t.co/7m2AI8E6Bv

— The Hill (@thehill) April 1, 2025

National Rally’s Response and Planned Protests

Jordan Bardella, president of the National Rally party, has called for nationwide demonstrations against the court decision. Describing the judgment as “disproportionate, political and partisan,” Bardella claimed the ruling effectively silences millions of French voters who support Le Pen and her party. He has called for “peaceful, democratic protests,” and officials have reportedly planned a nationwide leafletting campaign.

Bardella, who has been viewed as a potential alternative presidential candidate should Le Pen be permanently barred, has expressed unwavering loyalty to Le Pen while dismissing the charges as merely an “administrative disagreement with the EU.” The party has also launched a communication campaign and petition to support Le Pen. However, Bardella has urged supporters to avoid threatening judges, condemning any such actions after reports of threats against judiciary officials involved in the case.

Implications for French Politics

Le Pen’s conviction has potentially redrawn the map for France’s 2027 presidential election. Having narrowed the gap with President Emmanuel Macron in the 2022 election, Le Pen was widely considered the frontrunner for the next presidential contest. Her ineligibility, if maintained through appeals, creates a significant vacuum in French right-wing politics that could intensify competition among various factions seeking to capture her base of support.

Le Pen’s legal team has already announced plans to appeal the ruling, a process that could take considerable time but represents her only path to competing in the next presidential election. For now, the conviction stands as one of the most significant legal interventions in modern French politics, with ramifications that extend well beyond Le Pen herself.