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| Charles Kushner |
Paris — France has barred U.S. Ambassador Charles Kushner from meeting with French government officials after he failed to appear when summoned to explain controversial comments by the Trump administration regarding political violence in France, marking the latest diplomatic clash between Washington and its European allies.
Kushner, the father of President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, was called to the French Foreign Ministry last week following objections to U.S. statements that framed the killing of a French far-right activist as evidence of rising “violent radical leftism.” According to French officials, the ambassador did not attend the meeting.
In response, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Tuesday that Kushner would be denied direct access to French officials until the matter is addressed.
“When these explanations have taken place, then the U.S. ambassador in France will naturally regain access to members of the French government,” Barrot told broadcaster France Info. Until then, he said, the restriction would “naturally affect his capacity to exercise his mission.”
The diplomatic dispute centers on the death of Quentin Deranque, a 23-year-old far-right activist who died last month from brain injuries after being beaten during clashes between left- and right-wing groups on the sidelines of a student meeting in Lyon. Seven individuals have been placed under preliminary charges, including an aide to a lawmaker from the leftist France Unbowed (LFI) party, which has condemned the killing.
Last week, the U.S. State Department’s Counterterrorism Bureau posted on X that Deranque’s death “by left-wing militants should concern us all,” adding that “violent radical leftism is on the rise.” The U.S. Embassy in Paris reposted the statement, drawing sharp objections from French officials.
A senior French diplomatic official told NBC News that Kushner was formally summoned to explain the remarks but failed to appear.
“He did not show up,” the official said, describing the episode as a “misunderstanding of the basic expectations of an ambassador.” The official added that France would not allow the tragedy to be “exploited” within a foreign political narrative.
Despite the rebuke, France emphasized that the dispute does not undermine broader bilateral relations. “Not showing up is his personal responsibility,” the Foreign Ministry said, adding that the incident “does not affect the relationship between France and the United States.”
The U.S. Embassy in Paris did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
A Pattern of Diplomatic Tensions
The confrontation involving Kushner is part of a broader pattern of friction between U.S. diplomats appointed by President Trump and their host governments across Europe. Trump administration officials have repeatedly criticized European allies over immigration policy, defense spending, free speech, and what they describe as excessive “wokeness.”
Kushner himself was summoned by French officials last August after accusing President Emmanuel Macron of failing to adequately combat antisemitism—remarks Macron described as “unacceptable” for a diplomat.
Similar incidents have unfolded elsewhere. In Belgium, U.S. Ambassador Bill White was summoned after accusing Belgian authorities of harassment against the Jewish community, allegations the Belgian government strongly denied. In Poland, U.S. diplomat Tom Rose threatened to cut ties with a parliamentary speaker over criticism of Trump, prompting Prime Minister Donald Tusk to respond that “allies should respect, not lecture, each other.”
Elsewhere, Trump’s nominee for ambassador to Iceland apologized last month after joking that the country could become the 51st U.S. state, sparking public backlash. In the Middle East, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has drawn criticism for suggesting Israel has a biblical right to control large portions of the region.
Diplomatic Isolation Until Clarification
French officials have made clear that Kushner’s exclusion is temporary—provided he complies with diplomatic norms.
“He can still smooth over the irritants that inevitably arise in a 250-year-old friendship,” one French official said, “if he shows up.”
Until then, France’s decision stands as a rare but pointed rebuke of a sitting U.S. ambassador—and another sign of growing strain between Washington and its traditional European partners.
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