The French foreign ministry has indicated that United States envoy Charles Kushner should be denied access to government officials. This action follows his failure to provide a satisfactory explanation for remarks he made concerning an alleged increase in violence within France.
Kushner, who is the father of Jared Kushner, former President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, was scheduled to meet with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Monday evening. However, he did not attend the scheduled meeting.
Instead of appearing in person, Kushner stated he had a prior commitment. He was represented at the meeting by a deputy from the US embassy.
This substitution led to a strong reaction from the French ministry. They criticized Kushner, stating he showed an “apparent failure to grasp the basic requirements of the ambassadorial mission.” Consequently, Minister Barrot requested that Kushner “no longer be allowed direct access” to government ministers.
The diplomatic disagreement originated from a social media post by the US embassy in France. The post addressed the murder of Quentin Deranque, a far-right nationalist.
The embassy’s statement warned that “violent left-wing extremism is on the rise” in France. Deranque, a 23-year-old mathematics student, passed away in a hospital on February 14. He had been severely beaten by a group of masked young men in Lyon two days earlier. French government officials from the center-right coalition attributed the attack on Deranque to “far-left” militants.
However, the US embassy’s commentary on the incident appears to have caused significant displeasure with the French government.
Minister Barrot stated over the weekend, “We reject any use of this tragedy, which has plunged a French family into mourning, for political ends.” He further added, “We have no lessons to learn, particularly on the issue of violence, from the international reactionary movement.”
BBC News has contacted the US embassy in France seeking a comment on the matter.
Authorities have charged six men in connection with Deranque’s fatal assault. Additionally, a parliamentary assistant affiliated with a deputy from the radical left La France Insoumise (LFI) party has also been charged with complicity in the attack.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the leader of LFI and a potential candidate in the upcoming presidential election, has denied any party involvement in the incident. He condemned “all forms of violence.”
Mélenchon expressed, “We express our consternation, but also our empathy and compassion for [Deranque’s] family and friends.”