Problems have arisen in the Kushner family, as Ivanka Trump’s father-in-law, Charles Kushner, has caused tensions to rise in Paris, France. Donald Trump’s US Ambassador to France is currently in hot water with the French government.
Jared Kushner’s father has been banned by French authorities from meeting with government officials as tensions rise between Paris and Washington DC. Reportedly, Kushner failed to attend a meeting to explain comments made by the Trump administration and to which French President Emmanuel Macron’s government has objected.
“It will, naturally, affect his capacity to exercise his mission in our country,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot told broadcaster France Info on Tuesday.
“When these explanations have taken place, then the US ambassador in France will naturally regain access to members of the French government,” Barrot added.
The reason why the French government is up in arms right now is that Kushner had been summoned to explain a critique by the US State Department relating to the rise of “violent radical leftism” following the death of far-right activist Quentin Deranque, 23, who died of head injuries on February 14. This occurred two days after a clash in Lyon with far-left gang members.
Charles Kushner was summoned again Monday evening to the Quai d’Orsay, and once again failed to appear. This is not the first time that the father of Donald Trump’s son-in-law has dared to criticize the French government, flouting all diplomatic protocol.
— Cecylia W. (@WarwasDr) February 24, 2026
In video footage of Deranque’s death, the activist was repeatedly kicked and punched. This led the former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin to compare the activist’s murder to that of US conservative activist Charlie Kirk who was shot dead at a rally in America.
So far, two people have been charged with the murder of Deranque, while in all, 11 have been arrested in connection with the activist’s death.
Last week, the State Department’s Bureau of Counter-Terrorism responded to the killing by posting on X, “Violent radical leftism is on the rise and its role in Quentin Deranque’s death demonstrates the threat it poses to public safety.”
Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Paris, led by Kushner, posted the same statement in French, causing anger from the Macron government. The French government has expressed concern about what appears to be Washington’s interference in what it believes are French internal affairs.
As reported by Euronews, Macron’s government has expressed concern about Washington’s interference in what it sees as French internal affairs. “France cannot accept any form of interference or manipulation of its national public debate by the authorities of a third country,” an official told Agence France-Presse.
Meanwhile, in the aftermath of Deranque’s murder, the political temperature in France has risen ahead of local elections in March. This leaves President Macron to try to calm the situation as je gets ready to leave the office next year.
“There is no space in France for movements that adopt or legitimize violence,” the French president said earlier this week.
Kushner, 71, was nominated by Trump as his ambassador to Paris shortly after he won a second term in November 2024. Meanwhile, his first term ended with the president pardoning Kushner for federal crimes relating to tax evasion and witness tampering. The real estate and business tycoon had no previous diplomatic experience when Trump nominated him.
A source close to Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump said the couple is due to attend Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday evening.
The Paris embassy said in a statement on Tuesday, “Ambassador Kushner and Foreign Minister Barrot, who have met regularly during the Ambassador’s tenure, spoke today in a frank and amicable call, reaffirming their shared commitment to working together, along with all other Ministers and French officials, on the many issues that impact the United States and France, particularly as the two countries celebrate 250 years of rich diplomatic relations.”
