Paris – France has restricted U.S. Ambassador Charles Kushner’s access to government officials after he failed to appear at a summons to discuss a statement from the State Department regarding the death of a far-right activist, according to a statement released Monday by the French Foreign Affairs Ministry.
The ministry, led by Jean-Noel Barrot, requested Kushner no longer have direct access to French government members, citing a “misunderstanding of the basic expectations of the mission of an ambassador.” However, officials indicated a willingness to resolve the issue through diplomatic channels.
“It remains, of course, possible for Ambassador Charles Kushner to carry out his duties and present himself at the Quai d’Orsay, so that we may hold the diplomatic discussions needed to smooth over the irritants that can inevitably arise in a friendship spanning 250 years,” the ministry said.
The dispute stems from a post on X, formerly Twitter, by the State Department’s Counterterrorism Bureau regarding the death of Quentin Deranque, a far-right activist who died earlier this month from injuries sustained in a beating in Lyon. The bureau stated that Deranque’s death, “corroborated by the French Minister of the Interior,” should be a concern for all, suggesting a link to “left-wing militants.” The U.S. Embassy subsequently shared the statement on social media.
French authorities took issue with the State Department’s characterization and any implication of political interference. Barrot publicly rejected any “instrumentalization” of the tragedy for political gain, stating France needed “no lessons…particularly on the issue of violence, from the international reactionary movement.”
This is not the first time Kushner has faced scrutiny from French officials. He was previously summoned in August regarding a letter sent to President Emmanuel Macron alleging insufficient action against antisemitism in France. On that occasion, a representative of the U.S. ambassador met with French officials in Kushner’s absence.
The incident occurs at a sensitive time, with France preparing for presidential elections next year and already grappling with heightened political tensions. Deranque’s death has further fueled these divisions.
The State Department also stated that “violent radical leftism is on the rise and its role in Quentin Deranque’s death demonstrates the threat it poses to public safety,” and that it expects “the perpetrators of violence brought to justice.”
