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The chaos engulfing France is a preview of what Democrats want for America, Sen. Eric Schmitt warned, contrasting the unrest with new manufacturing jobs and a federal crime crackdown in Missouri that he credits to cooperation with the Trump administration.
“You see what’s happening in France. That’s exactly what they want here, the DSA Democrats,” the Missouri Republican told Fox News Digital.
His warning comes as riots, fires and looting have swept France after protests over rising living costs and strained public services turned violent, prompting curfews in parts of Paris and other cities.
“I think the Democrat Party at this point is sort of post-American and anti-Western civilization,” Schmitt said.
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A protester watches a fire burn at a demonstration in Paris, France, on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026. (Nathan Laine/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
With control of the House “up for grabs,” Schmitt argued, Republicans need to make the stakes clear while showing voters what they have delivered.
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Asked what a Democratic House would mean for Trump’s agenda, Schmitt accused Democrats of obstructing Republican efforts on immigration, permitting reform and regulations.
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He warned that Democratic control could jeopardize funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and revive what he described as the political weaponization of government under former President Joe Biden.
But Schmitt also argued Republicans need to give voters a reason to support them, pointing to jobs and public safety as areas where he says cooperation with the Trump administration is paying off.
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In Missouri, he 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.
Boeing secured the Navy contract in September after winning the Air Force program last year.
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A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle is refueled by a KC-135 Stratotanker while patrolling the skies over the Middle East, according to CENTCOM. (CENTCOM)
Schmitt, 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,” he said.
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Schmitt said he worked with Trump and administration officials to help land the programs, describing them as “generational opportunities” for Missouri workers.
“You think of the good-paying jobs that’s going to mean for generations to come, it’s just a game changer,” he said.
He also tied the aircraft programs to the broader competition with China, saying the next generation of fighters would help meet military demands in the Pacific.
On public safety, Schmitt pointed to Operation Show Me Justice, an ATF-led enforcement surge that resulted in 435 arrests and the seizure of 166 firearms in St. Louis, according to the Justice Department.
Sen. Eric Schmitt, a Republican of Missouri, second left, and President Donald Trump shake hands during a signing ceremony for the “Secure America Act” in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, June 10, 2026. (Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Authorities also seized 81 kilograms of drugs and more than $1.25 million linked to suspected illegal gun and drug transactions during the operation, which officials announced had concluded Oct. 15.
Schmitt said his conversations with administration officials have carried a straightforward request for his hometown.
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“St. Louis, we need your help,” he said.
The former Missouri attorney general described the toll of violence on families, including grandparents cleaning up broken glass and parents burying their children.
“We don’t need to accept this,” he said. “We just don’t need to accept the idea that violent crime needs to be in the headlines every single day.”
He pledged the effort would continue beyond the surge.
“This isn’t a one-and-done deal. There are more resources coming,” Schmitt said.
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For families wanting to send children safely to school, visit a park or attend a Cardinals game downtown, he said the goal is a better quality of life.
“I think the message is help is on the way, and there are real tangible results now, not just rhetoric, not just empty promises,” Schmitt said.
“We’re not letting up.”
Schmitt’s third major priority is modernizing St. Louis Lambert International Airport, an effort he linked to the region’s aerospace growth and aviation history.
His Modern Skies Act would fund improvements to air traffic control technology, towers and airport terminals. He said midsize airports need help securing investments that larger hubs can more readily finance.
“St. Louis is the gateway to the West,” he said. “It deserves a world-class airport.”
The proposal remains a legislative push rather than a guaranteed funding award for Lambert. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said during an October visit that airport funding would be competitive.
A terminal at St. Louis Lambert International Airport, left. On the right, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers inspect airline passengers before they board their flights at the airport in October 2016. (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images; Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)
For Schmitt, those priorities form part of the argument Republicans need to make as voters weigh control of Congress.
He cast the election as “common sense versus crazy,” but cautioned that Republicans cannot assume their supporters will show up.
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“I just don’t think you can take anything for granted,” Schmitt said. “I think we have to fight for every vote and tell an important story.”
“I think if we do that, we’re gonna hold on to the Senate, and the House is up for grabs.”