France Raises Alarm Over Growing MAGA Ties Ahead of 2027 Presidential Vote

French officials say they are increasingly concerned about growing ties between the US "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) movement and elements of France's far right as the country prepares for the pivotal 2027 presidential election. While France's agency that monitors digital interference has not found evidence of a coordinated MAGA-led disinformation campaign, security officials warn that informal ideological networks and personal contacts could still shape domestic politics.

Who is involved?

Kevin Roberts, president of the influential Heritage Foundation and an adviser to President Trump, travelled to Paris earlier this year to meet what he described as "leaders of the French right." Roberts said the foundation can "connect the dots between people in certain countries who are working on similar policies" and help knit together transatlantic alliances. "We can resurrect the spirit of Western civilisation," he told reporters.

"We connect the dots between people in certain countries who are working on similar policies, who want an alliance -- formal or informal -- with American friends." — Kevin Roberts

French far right’s stance

France's main far-right party, the National Rally (RN), acknowledges shared priorities with MAGA-aligned groups on issues such as immigration, border controls and opposition to what they call "woke" culture. Louis Aliot, RN vice president, said the party relates to those topics but stressed RN aims to remain politically independent and warned that some aspects of the US conservative movement — in particular its blend of patriotic and quasi-religious rhetoric — are not a natural fit for French politics.

Observers note that while RN may be receptive to certain ideas, other European parties appear even closer to MAGA messaging: parties such as Reform UK and Germany's AfD have been described as more aligned with the US movement's agenda.

Fringe contacts and transatlantic networks

Some fringe figures on the French far right have forged clearer ties with US MAGA operatives. In November, Marion Maréchal — leader of Identity-Liberties in the European Parliament — met Alex Bruesewitz, a young media adviser often associated with recent US conservative campaigns. Both parties described social media as a key channel that helped build these contacts and share strategies.

Disinformation specialist Nina Jankowicz, who served in the US Department of Homeland Security, said the current US conservative movement is more openly prioritising contacts with far-right European groups than in the past. "We saw some of this happening under the surface," she said, "but now it's more overt and deliberate."

Political context in France

Polling this week showed strong support for National Rally leader Jordan Bardella, projecting him as a leading contender for the 2027 presidency. Bardella is not yet the party's official candidate but is widely popular. Marine Le Pen, a three-time presidential contender, is currently barred from standing following a graft conviction and has appealed; a retrial is expected.

Concerns from French and EU lawmakers

Centrist EU lawmaker Nathalie Loiseau warned that some European far-right rhetoric appears to be "copied and pasted" from MAGA talking points, including portraying social-media regulation as censorship. Sarah Knafo, an MEP from the small French Reconquest party who argued for a parliamentary minute's silence for MAGA influencer events, described the US right as "a laboratory for what works and what doesn't."

French authorities say they will continue to monitor both digital activity and in-person contacts, mindful that informal ideological networks — even without an explicit, coordinated campaign — can influence messaging and political strategies ahead of a closely watched election.