A diplomatic crisis has erupted between the United States and France after Washington stood firmly behind its ambassador’s strong criticism of the French government's response to rising antisemitism, AFP reported on Monday.
US Ambassador to France, Charles Kushner, father of President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kusher, was summoned by the French Foreign Ministry on Sunday, but the Trump administration "doubled down" on his critique.
"We stand by his comments," State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said. "Ambassador Kushner is our US government representative in France and is doing a great job advancing our national interests in that role.”
The tension followed a public letter from Kushner to French President Emmanuel Macron, in which he accused France of a “lack of sufficient action” against antisemitism. This comes amid a surge of hate crimes in France, coinciding with rising tensions over the Gaza conflict. France retorted that “the allegations from the ambassador are unacceptable.”
In his letter, which was released to the media, Kushner claimed that gestures such as Macron's plan to formally recognize a Palestinian state “embolden extremists, fuel violence, and endanger Jewish life in France.”
He underscored his personal connection, writing, “President Trump and I have Jewish children and share Jewish grandchildren. I know how he feels about antisemitism, as do all Americans.”
The ambassador's remarks align with those of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has also accused Macron of fomenting antisemitism.
The French government has acknowledged the rise in anti-Jewish incidents, with Equality Minister Aurore Berge stating, "I think we have reached levels that are absolutely intolerable."
France is home to Europe's largest Jewish community. According to the interior ministry, reported antisemitic acts in France surged from 436 in 2022 to 1,676 in 2023, before dipping to 1,570 last year.