Reuters: French Le Pen's party's refused to accept US support

Le Pen, 56, was ahead in surveys for the 2027 French presidential election. On March 31, the Paris Criminal Court gave Marine Le Pen a four-year prison sentence, with two years suspended. She received a €100,000 fine and was prohibited from holding office for five years. Le Pen was defeated by incumbent President Emmanuel Macron in the second round of the 2022 French election. 

The U.S. team that went to Paris in May was headed by Samuel Samson, an official from the State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. Samson consulted with high-ranking RN officials, but neither Le Pen nor her deputy, Jordan Bardella, attended, according to the sources. The meeting aimed to talk about ways the Trump administration might openly back Le Pen, who seeks to have her conviction reversed. 

Both interlocutors stated that the proposal was declined. The RN officials indicated that backing from the State Department could negatively impact the party's chances of securing victory in the 2027 election, according to one of them. RN officials also informed Samson that supporting Le Pen wasn’t necessary, as Bardella had a strong chance of victory if she couldn't compete.

source: reuters.com