France has completed the repatriation of 129 tonnes of gold from the United States, bringing the entire country’s stockpile under domestic control.
The operation to transfer the precious metal from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York began in July 2025 and was finalized this month. European Parliament member Thierry Mariani said the move was a question of sovereignty, adding that the returned assets, valued at about €13 billion, had been replaced with higher‑quality bars. He said unpredictability in Washington had forced Paris to take steps to protect state interests.
On April 3, President Emmanuel Macron urged European powers and their partners to seek independence from United States policy. He said France aimed to avoid the status of a vassal state. Relations between the allies deteriorated after the United States launched military operations against Iran and effectively blocked key shipping routes, Paris officials said.
The decision was also influenced by uncertainty over the future of NATO and repeated criticism of the alliance by President Donald Trump, who had accused European partners of failing to contribute effectively to the Middle East crisis. French officials said the current environment made it preferable to hold the country’s reserves on national territory to ensure their security.
