US ambassador to Paris cannot ‘exercise his mission’ after ignoring summons

The French government’s row with the US ambassador to Paris has deepened, with the foreign minister saying the diplomat must explain himself after ignoring a French summons.

The minister suggested that Ambassador Charles Kushner will not have access to French government officials until he complies.

French authorities summoned Mr Kushner, the father of President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner, for a meeting on Monday evening over comments from the Trump administration that France objected to. French diplomats said Mr Kushner did not show up.

Speaking on Tuesday, French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot described the failure to attend as “a surprise” that flew in the face of diplomatic protocol and will dent Mr Kushner’s ability to serve as an ambassador.

“It will, naturally, affect his capacity to exercise his mission in our country,” Mr Barrot said.

“When these explanations have taken place, then the US ambassador in France will, naturally, regain access to members of the French government.

The French foreign ministry summoned Mr Kushner over Trump administration tweets about the fatal beating of a far-right activist in France.

Mr Barrot said the comments needed to be discussed with Mr Kushner.

“We must have an explanation with him,” the minister said. “We don’t accept that foreign countries can come and interfere, invite themselves, into the national political debate.”

Quentin Deranque, a 23-year-old student described as a fervent nationalist, was beaten by a group of people earlier this month in the city of Lyon, in fighting that erupted between far-left and far-right activists. He later died of brain injuries.

In a post last week on X, the State Department’s Counterterrorism Bureau said “violent radical leftism is on the rise and its role in Quentin Deranque’s death demonstrates the threat it poses to public safety”.

The US Embassy in Paris posted the same statement in French.