A diplomatic storm has broken out after US Ambassador Charles Kushner accused France of failing to fight antisemitism, with Washington backing him despite Paris branding the charges “unacceptable.
A diplomatic crisis has flared between the United States and France, after Washington openly backed its envoy, US Ambassador Charles Kushner, who accused President Emmanuel Macron’s government of neglecting the fight against rising antisemitism.
Kushner—father of Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law—was summoned to the French Foreign Ministry on Sunday after penning a blunt public letter to Macron, denouncing France’s “lack of sufficient action” against anti-Jewish hatred.
Rather than walk back the remarks, the Trump administration doubled down.
“We stand by his comments,” US State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said. “Ambassador Kushner is our US government representative in France and is doing a great job advancing our national interests in that role.”
In his letter, Kushner blasted Macron’s plan to formally recognize a Palestinian state, warning it “emboldens extremists, fuels violence, and endangers Jewish life in France.” He added a personal touch, invoking his family ties:
“President Trump and I have Jewish children and share Jewish grandchildren. I know how he feels about antisemitism, as do all Americans.”
The clash mirrors criticism voiced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has accused Macron of legitimizing antisemitism through his pro-Palestinian diplomacy.
France, which is home to Europe’s largest Jewish community, pushed back fiercely, calling Kushner’s charges “unacceptable.” Equality Minister Aurore Bergé admitted that antisemitic incidents have surged to “intolerable” levels, though Paris insists it is taking measures to combat the crisis.
Official statistics reveal the scale of the problem: antisemitic acts in France jumped from 436 in 2022 to 1,676 in 2023, before dipping slightly to 1,570 last year—still nearly four times higher than two years earlier.
With Washington refusing to retract its ambassador’s words, the standoff threatens to strain US–French relations at a critical moment, as both countries face mounting global pressure over the Gaza war and Europe grapples with escalating antisemitic violence.
