White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday a French politician who called on the US to return the Statue of Liberty should be thankful he is “not speaking German.” Leavitt made the comment after she was asked by Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy about comments made over the weekend by French MEP Raphaël Glucksmann.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt chastised a low-ranking French politician who made headlines for demanding that the United States return the Statue of Liberty, noting that it symbolizes America’s historical contributions to global peace.

White House press secretary's remarks come in the wake of French politician Raphaël Glucksmann teasing that the U.S. should return the iconic New York-based landmark