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France Blocks US Envoy Kushner from Direct Government Access
(MENAFN) France has blocked US Ambassador Charles Kushner from direct dealings with government officials after he failed to attend a formal summons over American remarks on the death of right wing activist Quentin Deranque.
Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot had ordered Kushner to appear at the Quai d’Orsay following Washington’s warning of rising “violent radical leftism” in France. Kushner did not attend, citing personal commitments, and dispatched a subordinate instead. Barrot called the absence a breach of protocol and stripped the envoy of government access, according to a Foreign Ministry statement carried by French media.
“In light of this apparent failure to grasp the basic requirements of the ambassadorial mission and the honor of representing one’s country, the minister [Barrot] has requested that he [Kushner] no longer be allowed direct access to members of the French government,” the ministry said.
The restrictions stop short of expulsion but effectively render Kushner persona non grata. He is barred from meeting cabinet ministers or senior officials, with communication limited to technical channels. The ban could be lifted if Kushner personally appears at the ministry, the statement noted.
The dispute follows the February 14 death of Quentin Deranque, a 23 year old student and member of nationalist group Audace Lyon, who suffered fatal head injuries in a clash with alleged left wing activists. His death has fueled outrage and sharpened political divisions ahead of March’s local elections and next year’s presidential vote, where polls suggest gains for the far right National Rally.
On X, the US State Department Bureau of Counterterrorism said Deranque’s death “should concern us all,” warning that “violent radical leftism is on the rise” and poses a threat to public safety. State Department Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers added the killing showed “why we treat political violence – terrorism – so harshly.”
Paris condemned the remarks as interference. Barrot responded Sunday: “We reject any instrumentalization of this tragedy… We have no lessons to learn, particularly on the issue of violence, from the international reactionary movement.”
This is not Kushner’s first clash with French authorities. Last August, he skipped another summons after sending a letter to President Emmanuel Macron accusing France of failing to combat anti Semitism. No sanctions followed at the time.
Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot had ordered Kushner to appear at the Quai d’Orsay following Washington’s warning of rising “violent radical leftism” in France. Kushner did not attend, citing personal commitments, and dispatched a subordinate instead. Barrot called the absence a breach of protocol and stripped the envoy of government access, according to a Foreign Ministry statement carried by French media.
“In light of this apparent failure to grasp the basic requirements of the ambassadorial mission and the honor of representing one’s country, the minister [Barrot] has requested that he [Kushner] no longer be allowed direct access to members of the French government,” the ministry said.
The restrictions stop short of expulsion but effectively render Kushner persona non grata. He is barred from meeting cabinet ministers or senior officials, with communication limited to technical channels. The ban could be lifted if Kushner personally appears at the ministry, the statement noted.
The dispute follows the February 14 death of Quentin Deranque, a 23 year old student and member of nationalist group Audace Lyon, who suffered fatal head injuries in a clash with alleged left wing activists. His death has fueled outrage and sharpened political divisions ahead of March’s local elections and next year’s presidential vote, where polls suggest gains for the far right National Rally.
On X, the US State Department Bureau of Counterterrorism said Deranque’s death “should concern us all,” warning that “violent radical leftism is on the rise” and poses a threat to public safety. State Department Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers added the killing showed “why we treat political violence – terrorism – so harshly.”
Paris condemned the remarks as interference. Barrot responded Sunday: “We reject any instrumentalization of this tragedy… We have no lessons to learn, particularly on the issue of violence, from the international reactionary movement.”
This is not Kushner’s first clash with French authorities. Last August, he skipped another summons after sending a letter to President Emmanuel Macron accusing France of failing to combat anti Semitism. No sanctions followed at the time.
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