French far-right presidential hopeful gives Trump gold star

Marine Le Pen, French far-right 2017 presidential candidate of the Front National party, participates to the Construction Forum debate "Reinvest France" ("Re-Investissons la France") at Carrousel du Louvre in Paris, Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017. (AP Photo/Francois Mori) (The Associated Press)

FILE - In this Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017 file photo, Far-right leader presidential candidate Marine Le Pen gestures as she speaks during a conference in Lyon, France. If Marine Le Pen has her way, the French will soon pay for their baguettes with francs, not euros. The presidential candidate from the anti-EU, anti-immigration National Front party is all about national sovereignty and independence. She wants France to take control of its money, subject to a referendum that would lead France out of the European Union and its shared currency. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, file) (The Associated Press)

PARIS – French far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen has nothing but praise for U.S. President Donald Trump because she thinks his actions so far are good for France.

Le Pen, who is leading in the latest opinion polls ahead of the spring election, told The Associated Press on Thursday that "my only framework is what is in the interest of France."

She credited Trump with a series of accomplishments, including "the promotion of a form of intelligent protectionism, of economic patriotism."

Le Pen says "I only have reason to rejoice" in Trump's success and that "there is no international fallout" so far from his presidency.