Trump calls on France to 'free' Marine Le Pen

President Trump defended conservative French leader Marine Le Pen, saying a “witch hunt” was launched against her by her European political enemies through lawfare tactics to silence her.

“The Witch Hunt against Marine Le Pen is another example of European Leftists using Lawfare to silence Free Speech, and censor their Political Opponent, this time going so far as to put that Opponent in prison,” Mr. Trump wrote in a Thursday night post on Truth Social.

The president said the French politician was besieged by the same “playbook” used against him by a group of “Lunatics and Losers.”

“They spent the last nine years thinking of nothing else, and they FAILED, because the People of the United States realized that they were only Corrupt Lawyers and Politicians,” he said.

Mr. Trump said he doesn’t know Ms. Le Pen but does “appreciate how hard she worked for so many years.”

He continued, “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.”

He added, “It is all so bad for France, and the Great French People, no matter what side they are on. FREE MARINE LE PEN!”

This is the second time Mr. Trump has commented on Ms. Le Pen’s conviction for allegedly embezzling European Union funds. He previously told reporters that her conviction is a “very big deal” and that it “sounds like this country.”

The verdict against Ms. Le Pen was also condemned by other French lawmakers and several conservative leaders in Europe, including Geert Wilders of the Netherlands and Matteo Salvini, Italy’s deputy prime minister.

A French court barred Ms. Le Pen from seeking public office after she was found guilty. She and her co-defendants have denied wrongdoing.

They face up to 10 years in prison. The sentence, even if she appeals, could keep her from running for the French presidency in 2027.

• This story is based in part on wire service reports.