Donald Trump’s ambassador to Paris has been blocked from access to the government, the French foreign minister said, amid a growing row over American interference in the death of a far-right political activist.
Charles Kushner, the top US diplomat in France and father of Trump adviser Jared Kushner, was blocked after he failed to attend a summons on Monday to discuss the comments, minister Joel-Noel Barrot said on Tuesday.
Mr Barrot said the decision not to attend came as a “surprise” that flew in the face of diplomatic protocol and that would dent Mr Kushner’s ability to serve as an ambassador.
“When these explanations have taken place, then the U.S. ambassador in France will, naturally, regain access to members of the French government,” he told the France Info radio station.
The foreign ministry summoned Kushner over Trump administration tweets over the death of maths student Quentin Deranque earlier this month.
The 23-year-old was beaten by a group of people in Lyon during clashes between far-left and far-right activists, and later died from brain injuries.
The US State Department’s Counterterrorism Bureau said last week: “Violent radical leftism is on the rise and its role in Quentin Deranque’s death demonstrates the threat it poses to public safety.”
The embassy in Paris posted the same statement, in French, before thousands of people joined nationwide rallies over the weekend. Police fear the marches could turn violent, with clashes between opposing extremist political groups.
Mr Barrot said France still needs to discuss the comments with Kushner. He said: “We don’t accept that foreign countries can come and interfere, invite themselves, into the national political debate.”
Over the weekend, he warned that France would “reject any use of this tragedy, which has plunged a French family into mourning, for political ends”.
“We have no lessons to learn, particularly on the issue of violence, from the international reactionary movement,” he added.
An unnamed diplomatic source told Reuters on Monday that Mr Barrot had personally advised that Mr Kushner should be banned from access to the government until the comments are clarified.
“Faced with this apparent misunderstanding of the basic expectations of an ambassador who has the honour of representing his country, the minister requested that he no longer be allowed direct access to members of the French government,” the source said.
It was the second time Kushner did not show after being summoned. In August 2025, he was wasked to explain himself at the French Foreign Affairs ministry after publicly raised concern over a rise in anti-Semitic acts in France and criticising the French authorities for not doing enough against it.
The death of Mr Deranque on 14 February has shocked the country and inspired nationwide protests calling for “justice” over the weekend.
Seven people have so far been handed preliminary charges over his death. Six were charged with intentional homicide, aggravated violence and criminal conspiracy, while the seventh was charged with complicity in intentional homicide, aggravated violence and criminal conspiracy.
Former centre-right Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin called Deranque’s killing “France’s Charlie Kirk moment,” referring to last year’s shooting of the US conservative activist.
“This is a moment aimed at delegitimising a segment of the political spectrum and portraying the triumphant far right as a victim,” he said.
President Emmanuel Macron called on “everyone to remain calm” ahead of Saturday’s tributes.
He said: “This is a moment of remembrance and respect for this young compatriot who was killed, for his family and loved ones. That must come first. And then it is a moment of firmness and responsibility.”
