The French foreign ministry has called for the blocking of US envoy Charles Kushner’s access to French government officials after he failed to attend a scheduled meeting regarding comments he made about violence in France, the BBC reported Monday.
Kushner, father of US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, had been summoned to meet with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Monday evening. However, Kushner sent a deputy from the US embassy instead, citing a prior engagement.
The French foreign ministry reacted angrily, accusing Kushner of failing to understand the responsibilities of his position. In response to Kushner’s absence, Barrot requested that Kushner “no longer be allowed direct access" to government ministers.
The diplomatic conflict stems from comments made by the US embassy regarding the murder of right-wing activist Quentin Deranque. The embassy posted a statement on social media suggesting that "violent left-wing extremism is on the rise" in France following Deranque’s death.
Barrot rejected the US embassy's use of the tragedy for political purposes. "We reject any use of this tragedy, which has plunged a French family into mourning, for political ends," Barrot said. He also added, "We have no lessons to learn, particularly on the issue of violence, from the international reactionary movement."
Kushner previously caused an uproar last August, following a public letter he sent to French President Emmanuel Macron, in which Kushner accused France of a “lack of sufficient action" against antisemitism. The letter was written 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."
Following the harshly worded letter, France’s Foreign Ministry announced that Kushner would be summoned for a conversation.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott later clarified that Washington stood by Kushner’s comments, adding, "Ambassador Kushner is our US government representative in France and is doing a great job advancing our national interests in that role."