The summoning of the ambassador is a formal and public notice of displeasure.
WASHINGTON D.C., DC — France has called in the U.S. ambassador to Paris, Charles Kushner, after he sent a letter to French President Emmanuel Macron criticizing France’s efforts in combating antisemitism.
The French foreign ministry announced on Sunday that Kushner has been summoned to the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs on Monday, labeling his accusations as “unacceptable.”
The White House has not offered any immediate comments on the matter. However, State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott expressed support for Kushner, stating, “Ambassador Kushner is our U.S. government representative in France and is doing a great job advancing our national interests in that role.”
The summoning of the ambassador is a formal and public notice of displeasure.
Kushner, a real-estate developer, is the father of President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
The statement from the French foreign ministry emphasized their strong denial of Kushner’s claims, highlighting that French authorities are “fully mobilized” to address the surge in antisemitic activities following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, actions they describe as “intolerable.”
The contents of the letter were not released.
The French ministry also contended that Kushner’s assertions breach international law and go against the principle of non-interference in another nation’s internal matters, stating they fall short of the trust required for a strong transatlantic partnership between France and the United States.
This situation arises after Macron recently dismissed accusations by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which suggested that France’s consideration of recognizing a Palestinian state contributes to rising antisemitism.
France is home to the largest Jewish population in Western Europe, with an estimated 500,000 Jews. That’s approximately 1% of the national population.
The diplomatic discord comes as French-U.S. relations have faced tensions this year amid Trump’s trade war and a split over the future of U.N. peacekeepers in Lebanon. France in particular has objected to the U.S. push to wind down the peacekeeping operation known as UNIFIL, with a vote on the issue set for the end of the month by the U.N. Security Council.
France and the U.S. have also been divided on support for Ukraine in its war with Russia, but the split has eased with Trump expressing support for security guarantees and a warm meeting with Macron and other European leaders at the White House last week.
Trump at the end of his first term as president pardoned Charles Kushner, who pleaded guilty years earlier to tax evasion and making illegal campaign donations.
His son Jared is a former White House senior adviser to Trump who is married to Trump’s eldest daughter, Ivanka.
Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
