France’s dispute with US ambassador Kushner goes from bad to worse

France’s foreign minister on Tuesday demanded an explanation after US envoy Charles Kushner failed to show up for a diplomatic meeting focused on comments about a murdered far-right activist.

Jean-Noel Barrot summoned Kushner after the US embassy in Paris republished comments from the Trump administration denouncing “terrorism” and left-wing violence in France following the murder of 23-year-old far-right activist Quentin Deranque.

This is not the first diplomatic dispute in which Kushner, whose son Jared is married to President Trump’s daughter Ivanka, has been involved; He previously criticized French President Emmanuel Macron for what he said was insufficient action against anti-Semitism.

Kushner was summoned to the French ministry for those comments, but he also skipped that meeting and sent an official in his place.

On Monday, France moved to prevent Kushner from having access to government ministers.

Deranque died from head injuries following clashes between supporters of the radical left and the extreme right on the sidelines of a protest against a politician from the far-left France Insoumise (LFI) party in Lyon.

‘Surprise’

Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said he wanted an explanation for the US ambassador’s failure to comply with “the most basic customs of diplomacy.”

“It’s a surprise,” Barrot told broadcaster France Info on Tuesday, adding that the absence “will naturally affect his ability to carry out his mission in our country.”

Kushner, 71, a billionaire real estate developer and former lawyer, is not a professional diplomat.

He spent time in prison after pleading guilty in 2004 to 18 counts of tax evasion, witness tampering and illegal campaign contributions, although Trump pardoned him in 2020.

Barrot stressed the need to “have a conversation with him.”

“I think all French people share the same feeling,” he said. “We do not accept that foreign countries can come and interfere and then insert themselves into our national political debate, whatever the circumstances.”

He added that Paris also wanted to raise the issue of US sanctions against several European figures, including former European Commissioner Thierry Breton.

However, Barrot said the new incident would not affect the Franco-American relationship.

When asked if the US ambassador could be declared persona non grata, Barrot did not answer directly.

Yael Braun-Pivet, speaker of the lower house of the National Assembly, said it was important to keep talking.

“We need to talk to each other and say what we think, but at the same time we must not allow ourselves to be pressured,” he told broadcaster RTL.

A diplomatic source told the News news agency that the ambassador cited “personal commitments” and sent a senior embassy official in his place.

‘It’s not optional’

Kushner’s behavior raised eyebrows even among American diplomats.

“One of the basic rules is that when you are summoned by the Foreign Minister of the host country, you show up. On time,” Charles Shapiro, former US ambassador to Venezuela, said in X. “It’s not optional.”

In December 2024, Trump defended Kushner’s selection as France’s envoy.

“It’s a great thing because he’s our family,” Trump told French magazine Paris Match.

“Basically, a member of my family is coming to France; I’m not sure this would happen anywhere else.”

The choice was in line with Trump’s pattern of selecting people, often wealthy, who are close to his family or who have demonstrated their loyalty.