The Statue of Liberty and its Symbolism
French politician jokingly asks the U.S. to return the Statue of Liberty due to perceived abandonment of shared values. The statue, a symbol of freedom and democracy, was a gift from France to the U.S. in the 1880s. The U.S. government declined the request. The statue's creation was a joint effort between France and the U.S., with the French funding the statue and the U.S. funding the pedestal. It remains a major tourist attraction and symbol of freedom.