US Envoy to France Barred From Government Meetings

The U.S. ambassador to France, Charles Kushner, has been formally barred from meeting members of the French government after he failed to appear at a scheduled summons at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, according to diplomatic sources.

Diplomatic Tensions Escalate in Paris

French officials summoned Kushner following comments published by the United States Embassy in France concerning a fatal incident involving a French political activist.

“Following the publication by the U.S. Embassy of comments on a tragedy that occurred in France and concerns only our national public debate – which we refuse to allow to be exploited – ambassador Charles Kushner was summoned today to the ministry. He did not show up,” a diplomatic source said.

As a result, France’s foreign minister requested that Kushner no longer be granted direct access to members of the French government, citing what officials described as a misunderstanding of the expectations attached to his diplomatic role.

This marked the second time the ambassador failed to attend a ministry summons.

Killing of Activist Sparks Political Shock

The dispute follows the killing of French far-right activist Quentin Deranque, who was beaten to death during a confrontation with alleged hard-left activists. The incident has deeply shaken France’s political landscape.

Some commentators described the episode as “France’s Charlie Kirk moment,” referencing the killing of U.S. conservative activist Charlie Kirk last year.

In response to the killing, both the U.S. Embassy in France and the U.S. State Department Bureau of Counterterrorism said they were monitoring developments. In posts on X, U.S. officials warned that “violent radical leftism was on the rise” and should be treated as a public safety threat.

French authorities objected to what they viewed as external commentary on a matter concerning domestic public debate.

Previous Diplomatic Friction

Tensions between Kushner and French officials are not new. In August 2025, he was summoned to the Foreign Affairs Ministry after publicly expressing concern over rising anti-Semitic acts in France and criticizing French authorities for their response.

The latest episode underscores growing diplomatic strain between Washington and Paris over sensitive political and security issues, with France signaling that public commentary on internal affairs by foreign diplomats will not be tolerated.