Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) is drawing a direct line between the burning streets of Paris and the ballot box in America, warning that the unrest engulfing France is a preview of what the Democratic Party has in store for the United States.
"You see what's happening in France. That's exactly what they want here, the DSA Democrats," Schmitt told Fox News Digital in an interview published Friday.
The Missouri Republican's comments come as riots, fires and looting have swept France following protests over rising living costs and strained public services. The demonstrations turned violent, prompting curfews in parts of Paris and other cities. POLITICO reported this week that Republicans are seizing on the Paris riots as a closing message ahead of tight Senate races, casting the unrest as a warning of what America could become under Democratic control.
Schmitt went further than the tactical framing, questioning the fundamental loyalty of the opposition party.
"I think the Democrat Party at this point is sort of post-American and anti-Western civilization," he said.
The senator's warning carries added weight because control of the House is "up for grabs" in November, he argued. Schmitt said Republicans need to make the stakes clear while showing voters what they have delivered. Asked what a Democratic House would mean for President Trump's agenda, Schmitt accused Democrats of obstructing Republican efforts on immigration, permitting reform and regulations.
But Schmitt also conceded that Republicans need to give voters a reason to support them — and he pointed to Missouri as the proof.
Boeing Deal and St. Louis Crime Crackdown
Schmitt highlighted Boeing's selection to build the Air Force's F-47 and the Navy's next-generation F/A-XX fighter as a potentially transformative investment in American manufacturing. The senator, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the programs would mean 7,000 direct jobs, with additional opportunities for suppliers and surrounding businesses.
"It means that the goal we've been fighting for, which is that St. Louis is the defense tech capital of the United States of America, is coming true," Schmitt said.
Schmitt also credited a federal crime crackdown in St. Louis to cooperation with the Trump administration, holding it up as a model of what Republican governance delivers for public safety.
The interview came as Fox News Politics reported on Schmitt's broader message: that the chaos abroad and the manufacturing wins at home are two sides of the same argument. Republicans, he said, must show voters the difference between a country that secures its borders and backs its police and one that lets its cities burn.
What It Means for Americans
The timing is deliberate. With midterm elections approaching, Republicans are working to nationalize the France unrest as a warning label for Democratic policies on immigration, public safety and government spending. POLITICO reported that party leaders are casting the riots as a preview of what the future looks like under Democrats.
For voters in Missouri and across the country, Schmitt's message ties local jobs and safety directly to federal decisions. The F-47 and F/A-XX programs represent thousands of paychecks in the St. Louis region. The crime crackdown represents safer streets. And the France comparison, in Schmitt's telling, represents what is at stake if Democrats take the House.
Whether the warning lands will depend on whether Republicans can convert the contrast into votes. Schmitt's own advice — that the party must give voters a reason to support them — may be the most candid line of the interview.
Our Take
Schmitt is right about one thing: what is happening in France is not an accident. It is the predictable result of open borders, a bloated welfare state and a political class that treats its own citizens as an afterthought. The DSA wing of the Democratic Party looks at that mess and sees a blueprint, not a cautionary tale.
But Republicans cannot win on warnings alone. Schmitt knows it — that is why he spent half the interview talking about Boeing jobs and St. Louis crime. Patriots should demand that every Republican candidate do the same: show the receipts. Seven thousand defense jobs and safer streets are the kind of proof that beats a lecture every time.
The question for November is simple: will Americans choose the road to Paris, or the road to St. Louis? Schmitt is betting they will choose the latter. Now it is up to voters to prove him right.
