Donald Trump Says He Would Prefer Being Abroad Than in U.S.

Donald Trump has come under fire on social media after saying he'd rather be "in the south of France" than "this country frankly" during a rally on Tuesday.

The event took place in Windham, New Hampshire, with Trump addressing the three criminal indictments he is facing. He also spoke about a possible fourth, over allegations he acted illegally in trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election result in Georgia.

Polling shows Trump is, by some margin, the early preferred 2024 GOP presidential candidate with Republican voters. However, the former president is facing upcoming trials on charges related to his alleged orchestration of hush-money payment to a pornographic actress; mishandling of classified documents; and attempts to reverse the 2020 election outcome.

In all three cases, Trump has pled not guilty to the charges brought against him, and strenuously denies any wrongdoing. In a May 18 post to Twitter, now X, he wrote of Special Counsel Jack Smith's investigation: "This is the single greatest witch hunt of a politician in American history!"

Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at Windham High School in Windham, New Hampshire, on August 8, 2023. The 2024 presidential hopeful told the audience he would rather be “in the south of France” than “this country frankly." JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP/GETTY

Speaking in New Hampshire, Trump addressed the allegations against him. He said: "They know it's a phony story. They say he's going to jail."

He added: "I could have been relaxing at Mar-a-Lago or in the south of France, which I would prefer to being in this country frankly."

A 20-second clip of Trump's remark was shared on X, formerly Twitter, by journalist Aaron Rupar, where it received more than 1.9 million views.

Trump: "I could have been relaxing at Mar-a-Lago or the south of France, which I would prefer to being in this country frankly." pic.twitter.com/h5MBlmcykm — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 8, 2023

Trump's comments sparked a backlash from other X users, with several writing that the former president was being unpatriotic.

Sal Gentile, a producer at NBC's Late Night With Seth Meyers, wrote: "'I'd rather be in the south of France than America.' — The America First candidate."

“I’d rather be in the south of France than America.” — The America First candidate https://t.co/EwMIkrm73q — Sal Gentile (@salgentile) August 9, 2023

Republicans Against Trump, a conservative group opposed to the former president with more than 450,000 X followers, shared the clip, adding: "Donald Trump is NOT an American patriot."

Donald Trump who’s repeatedly said that America is a “failing nation”, just said that he’d prefer to be “relaxing” in the south of France than being in the United States.

Donald Trump is NOT an American patriot.pic.twitter.com/tdaAgsI57k — Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) August 8, 2023

A third X user posted: "Donald Trump who's repeatedly said that America is a 'failing nation', just said that he'd prefer to be 'relaxing' in the south of France than being in the United States. Donald Trump is NOT an American patriot."

Newsweek has approached Donald Trump for comment via the press inquiry form on his official website.

During his address, Trump also mocked Chris Christie, the former governor of New Jersey who has emerged as a trenchant critic.

After a supporter called the anti-Trump Republican 2024 candidate "a fat pig," the former president replied: "Christie is eating right now, he can't be bothered. Sir, please do not call him a fat pig."

Responding to Trump on X, Christie posted: "If you had the guts you would show up to the debate and say it to my face."

Trump also repeated false claims that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who is overseeing the investigation in Georgia into his efforts to reverse the 2020 election outcome in the state, had been in a relationship with a gang member.