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France has restricted U.S. Ambassador Charles Kushner’s access to senior government officials after he failed to attend a summons from the French Foreign Ministry over comments regarding the death of a French activist.
Speaking Tuesday in an interview with public broadcaster France Info, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Kushner’s decision not to appear at the Quai d’Orsay “will naturally affect his ability to carry out his mission in our country,” and demanded “explanations” from the ambassador.
Barrot described the no-show as a “surprise,” saying that when an ambassador has “the honor of representing your country in France,” they are expected to “respect the most basic practices of diplomacy” and respond to summons from the ministry.
The diplomatic dispute stems from social media posts by official U.S. government accounts following the death of Quentin Deranque, a 23-year-old activist who was killed in Lyon earlier this month.
Protesters hold portraits of far-right activist Quentin Deranque during a tribute march in Lyon on Feb. 21, 2026. (Olivier Chassignole/AFP via Getty)
The Associated Press reported that Deranque, described as a fervent nationalist, was beaten during clashes between far-left and far-right activists and later died of brain injuries sustained in the attack.
“Reports, corroborated by the French Minister of the Interior, that Quentin Deranque was killed by left-wing militants, should concern us all. Violent radical leftism is on the rise and its role in Quentin Deranque’s death demonstrates the threat it poses to public safety,” the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Counterterrorism said in a Feb. 19 post on X. “We will continue to monitor the situation and expect to see the perpetrators of violence brought to justice.”
The U.S. Embassy in France later shared the statement on its official account.
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Charles Kushner, the new U.S. ambassador to France, leaves the Elysee Presidential Palace in Paris on July 18, 2025. (Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty)
Barrot said the remarks amounted to an “injunction” toward France and rejected what he characterized as foreign interference in the country’s domestic political debate.
“We have no lessons to learn in matters of maintaining order or public order in matters of violence and we have no lessons to learn at all from the reactionary international, simply,” he told France Info.
The State Department did not immediately respond to Digital’s request for comment.
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French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot talks to media at the Europa building in Brussels, Belgium, on Feb. 23, 2026. (Thierry Monasse/Getty)
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Barrot said Kushner could regain access to French officials if he provides clarification to the ministry, stressing that the dispute would not alter broader relations between France and the United States.
He noted the two countries are preparing to mark the 250th anniversary of their historic alliance this year and expressed hope that cooperation would continue “in this spirit.”
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