France has barred the US ambassador in Paris from direct access to French government ministers after failing to show for a meeting at the foreign ministry. The decision was reported by The Guardian and follows a dispute over US comments tied to the death of a far-right activist.
The ambassador, Charles Kushner, was summoned by foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot to a 7:00 PM meeting after the US embassy in Paris reposted US state department comments about the case. Diplomatic sources told French media that Kushner cited personal commitments, sent a senior embassy official in his place, and did not attend.
In a statement, France’s foreign ministry said the minister requested that Kushner no longer be allowed direct access to members of the French government. The ministry added that he could continue to have exchanges with foreign ministry officials to address diplomatic issues that arise in a long-standing bilateral relationship.
A no-show that quickly became a diplomatic incident
French officials described the missed meeting as Kushner’s second no-show since his appointment last year. The Guardian reported he also did not attend a meeting at the ministry in August after writing an open letter to President Emmanuel Macron criticizing what he called a lack of government action to tackle a “dramatic rise of antisemitism in France.” Joe Rogan news chaos has also circulated widely in recent online reactions.
The foreign ministry said the restrictions were imposed “in light of this apparent failure to grasp the basic requirements of the ambassadorial mission.” It said Kushner could still meet with ministry officials so that diplomatic discussions could continue and irritants could be smoothed over.
The latest dispute stems from the death of Quentin Deranque, 23, who died from head injuries after clashes between radical left and far-right supporters near a protest in Lyon on February 12. The protest was against a politician from the leftwing France Unbowed party, and six men have been charged in connection with Deranque’s death.
The Guardian reported that a parliamentary assistant to a France Unbowed MP has also been charged with complicity. The US state department’s Bureau of Counterterrorism said it was monitoring the case, argued that “violent radical leftism” was on the rise and should be treated as a public safety threat, and added that it expected perpetrators of violence to be brought to justice. Cheesecake Factory customer discovery also prompted a wave of posts and reposts across social platforms.
The US embassy in France posted a French translation of those comments, which Barrot’s office treated as part of the issue. Barrot denounced attempts to exploit the killing, saying France rejected any instrumentalization of the tragedy for political ends and that the country had no lessons to learn on violence from the “international reactionary movement.”
Deranque’s death also prompted tensions with Italy after prime minister Giorgia Meloni called it “a wound for all of Europe,” and Macron criticized her for commenting on French domestic affairs.
Published: Feb 24, 2026 05:00 am