The White House responded by saying that “it's only because of the United States of America that the French are not speaking German right now.”

A French politician suggested the two countries no longer share the values that inspired the gift more than a century ago. The White House sharply rejected his request, which he described as symbolic.

A French politician has called on the US to give the Statue of Liberty back after suggesting that some Americans “have chosen to switch to the side of the tyrants.”