For several days, U.S. Republican Congressman Joe Wilson has gained unexpected notoriety in Tunisia due to his attacks on President Kaïs Saïed.
Representing South Carolina in the U.S. Congress and a staunch supporter of Donald Trump, Joe Wilson labeled Saïed a « dictator » after he seized full power following a power grab in the summer of 2021. Since then, numerous voices, including political opponents and NGOs, have condemned the authoritarian drift of the Tunisian president.
In his numerous posts on the platform X, Joe Wilson has called for the cessation of U.S. aid and the imposition of sanctions against Tunisia until democracy is restored.
Joe Wilson also sent a text message to Fatma Mseddi, a lawmaker and ardent supporter of Kaïs Saïed, saying: « Fatma, leave this regime while you can… It will collapse like Assad’s (in Syria). »
In a tense context, the political situation in Tunisia has further deteriorated. On February 5, several Tunisian figures, including Rached Ghannouchi, leader of the Islamist Ennahdha movement, as well as journalists, influencers, and Ministry of the Interior officials, were sentenced to harsh prison terms, some as long as 34 years, on charges of « endangering state security. »