US envoy moves to ease France row after skipping diplomatic summons

The United States ambassador to France has moved to defuse a growing diplomatic dispute with Paris after failing to attend a summons by French authorities over controversial comments on French domestic politics.

French officials had invited Ambassador Charles Kushner for a meeting following objections to remarks linked to the Donald Trump administration. However, Kushner did not attend the scheduled meeting on Monday evening, prompting strong reactions from the French government.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said the no-show would affect the ambassador’s ability to carry out his duties in France, stressing that access to government officials is essential for diplomatic work. He described the absence as a breach of diplomatic protocol in comments to public broadcaster France Info.

Following the remarks, Kushner contacted Barrot by phone on Tuesday, with both sides agreeing to meet in the coming days. According to the French foreign ministry, the ambassador expressed his willingness not to interfere in France’s internal political debates and reaffirmed the long-standing friendship between France and the United States.

The diplomatic tension was triggered by social media posts from the United States Department of State referencing the killing of a far-right activist and student, Quentin Deranque, in Lyon. The posts blamed “violent radical leftism” for the incident, a position French authorities viewed as interference in national affairs.

Barrot reiterated that France would not accept foreign вмеш interference in its public debate but stressed that the dispute would not damage broader Franco-American relations. He described the ambassador’s failure to attend the summons as a personal decision that does not reflect the overall relationship between both countries.

Kushner, who is the father of Jared Kushner, son-in-law to Donald Trump, had previously been summoned by France in August over a letter to President Emmanuel Macron accusing France of not doing enough to combat antisemitism. On that occasion, he also declined to appear personally, sending a deputy instead.

French officials said the planned meeting between Barrot and Kushner is expected to help ease tensions and restore normal diplomatic engagement between the two allies.