France has demanded answers after US Ambassador Charles Kushner failed to attend a formal summons over remarks on the death of a nationalist activist in Lyon.
Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the absence would affect Kushner’s ability to fulfil his diplomatic mission in France.
Barrot warned that the ambassador’s direct access to senior government officials would be suspended pending clarification from Washington.
“When one has the honour of representing one’s country in France, one respects the most basic customs of diplomacy and responds to summonses from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” Barrot told Franceinfo, describing the no-show as a “surprise.”
The dispute centres on comments posted by Kushner after the death of 23-year-old nationalist activist Quentin Deranque in Lyon earlier this month.
Deranque died following violent clashes between far-left and far-right groups near Lyon’s Institute of Political Studies.
In his message, Kushner wrote that Deranque was “killed by far-left militants” and warned of rising “violent left-wing extremism.”
US intervention in France’s matters
Foreign Minister Barrot rejected any foreign interference in France’s domestic political debate.
“We do not accept foreign countries interfering in our national political debate,” he said, adding that France had “no lessons to learn” on maintaining public order and protecting its citizens.
Former European Commissioner Thierry Breton also criticised Kushner for missing the scheduled meeting at the Quai d’Orsay.
Speaking on BFMTV and RMC, Breton suggested the ambassador appeared to favour meetings with far-right leaders over French officials.
Breton further alleged that Kushner had openly expressed support for the far-right National Rally party associated with leaders such as Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella.
Breton also referred to what he described as a US national security document suggesting Washington intended to rely on far-right parties in Europe to weaken European institutions.
Despite the tensions, Barrot stressed that broader ties between Paris and Washington would remain intact.
The crisis is deeper
France and the United States are set to celebrate 250 years of their historic alliance this year, but recent tensions have cast a shadow over the milestone.
French President Emmanuel Macron delivered a forceful critique of the United States’ foreign policy last month, accusing Washington of “breaking free from international rules” and drifting away from traditional alliances — a signal of deepening transatlantic tensions as Europe grapples with recent US military and geopolitical moves.
Macron also referenced US designs on Greenland, which President Donald Trump has repeatedly said US needs to acquire — a stance that has provoked strong reaction from Denmark and EU partners and raised broader questions about respect for allied sovereignty.
French media outlets described the latest episode as an unusual diplomatic signal, pointing to visible strains in transatlantic relations.
According to Le Monde, the US ambassador to France, who took up his post last summer, had already been summoned to the Foreign Ministry in late August.
The move followed comments Paris deemed unacceptable, including criticism of Emmanuel Macron over what was described as insufficient action against antisemitism.
Le Figaro described it as a breach of diplomatic protocol, stressing that the ambassador failed to attend despite a formal summons from the Foreign Ministry.
Meanwhile, HuffPost France highlighted anger within official French circles, warning that the absence could deepen tensions and prompt further diplomatic measures from Paris.
