PARIS (AP) — France’s top diplomat requested Monday that U.S. Ambassador Charles Kushner no longer be allowed direct access to members of the French government after he missed a meeting to discuss comments from the Trump administration about the beating death of a far-right activist.

French authorities had summoned Kushner on Monday afternoon to the Quai d’Orsay, where the Foreign Ministry is located, but he did not show up, according to diplomatic sources.

Jean-Noël Barrot, foreign minister, took steps to restrict Kushner’s access “in light of this apparent misunderstanding of the basic expectations of the mission of an ambassador, who has the honor of representing his country.”

The ministry, however, left the door open to reconciliation.

“Of course, it remains possible that Ambassador Charles Kushner will fulfill his duties and appear at the Quai d’Orsay, so that we can have the diplomatic discussions necessary to smooth over the irritants that may inevitably arise in a friendship spanning 250 years,” he said.

Kushner had been cited following a statement from the State Department’s Counterterrorism Office, which published in The US Embassy had published that statement on social media.

U.S. Ambassador to France Charles Kushner holds a news conference to mark the United States' 250th birthday next year, in Paris, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
U.S. Ambassador to France Charles Kushner holds a news conference to mark the United States’ 250th birthday next year, in Paris, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

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Deranque, a far-right activist, died this month from brain injuries following a beating in the French city of Lyon. He was attacked during a fight on the sidelines of a student meeting at which a far-left lawmaker was the keynote speaker.

His murder highlighted a climate of deep political tension ahead of next year’s presidential election.

“We reject any exploitation of this tragedy, which has plunged a French family into mourning, for political purposes,” Barrot said over the weekend. “We have no lessons to learn, particularly on the issue of violence, from the international reactionary movement.”

The State Department said in its release that “violent radical leftism is on the rise and its role in the death of Quentin Deranque demonstrates the threat it poses to public safety. We will continue to monitor the situation and hope that the perpetrators of the violence are brought to justice.”

Kushner was summoned in August for his letter to French President Emmanuel Macron alleging that the country did not do enough to combat anti-Semitism. French foreign officials met with a representative of the US ambassador since the diplomat did not show up.