The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized the absence of US Ambassador Charles Kushner from an official summons against the backdrop of comments by President Donald Trump's administration regarding the killing of far-right activist Kantin Duranc, and decided to restrict his direct communication with members of the government, in a move that reflects renewed diplomatic tension between Paris and Washington and broader European interactions around the incident.
Published on: 02/24/2026 - 03:58 Last updated: 02/24/2026 - 09:34
The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the US Ambassador to Paris, Charles Kushner, did not attend its headquarters on Monday, despite being summoned in response to statements made by the administration of President Donald Trump regarding the death of a right-wing extremist student in France. The summons came after the US Embassy in Paris published comments from Washington on the X platform on the issue.
The Foreign Ministry indicated that Minister Jean-Noel Barrot "requested that (Kouchner) no longer be allowed to communicate directly with members of the French government, given his clear lack of understanding of the intuitive requirements of the duties of an ambassador who has the honor of representing his country." However, she stressed that "it remains possible, of course, for Ambassador Charles Kouchner to perform his duties and come to the headquarters of the French Foreign Ministry" to hold the necessary diplomatic talks to settle the differences between the two countries.
According to a diplomatic source, Kushner sent a US embassy official to represent him, justifying his absence with personal obligations.
Read also: The Trump administration warns of “violent left-wing extremism” in France following the killing of a far-right activist
The ambassador was summoned at seven in the evening local time (18:00 GMT) at the request of Barrow, who had denounced on Sunday what was issued by the Trump administration regarding the killing of a student belonging to the radical far right, considering the matter “a tragedy that concerns French society” and rejecting “any exploitation of this tragedy for political purposes.”
On the other hand, the American administration condemned what it described as political violence by the extreme left and called for the prosecution of those responsible.
The case dates back to the death of the far-right activist Kantan Duranc (23 years old), who suffered a serious head injury, following a violent attack attributed to members of the far-left on February 12 in the city of Lyon.
The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs had previously summoned Kushner in late August against the backdrop of American statements that were considered “unacceptable” regarding the “lack of adequate action” by Macron to combat anti-Semitism, but it was the American Chargé d’Affaires who came to the ministry’s headquarters at the time “in the absence of the ambassador” who assumed his duties in Paris last summer.
France 24/AFP
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