US promises not to ‘interfere’ in French affairs – media

Paris is upset over Washington’s reaction to the murder of a right-wing activist in France

US Ambassador to France Charles Kushner has pledged not to “interfere” in French internal affairs after a diplomatic row over the killing of a right-wing activist.

The US described the incident as a manifestation of rising “violent radical leftism” in France. Paris took offense, taking the statements as interference in its domestic politics.

The French Foreign Ministry summoned Kushner over the remarks, but the envoy failed to show up. In retaliation, the ministry said the diplomat would “no longer be allowed direct access to members of the French government” due to his “apparent failure to grasp the basic requirements of the ambassadorial mission.” 

On Tuesday, however, media outlets reported the US envoy called French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot in an apparent attempt to make amends. Kushner, whose son Jared is married to US President Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka, has reportedly pledged not to “interfere” in France’s domestic affairs. It was not immediately clear whether Paris had accepted the American ambassador’s apparent apology and lifted the ban on him meeting government officials. 

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“The ambassador acknowledged this, expressed his intention not to interfere in our public debate, and reaffirmed the friendship between France and the United States,” a source told Reuters. “The minister and the ambassador agreed to meet in the coming days to continue working towards a close bilateral relationship, which celebrates its 250th anniversary this year.”  

The scandal erupted after Quentin Deranque, a 23-year-old student and member of the nationalist group Audace Lyon, was killed on February 14. The activist is believed to have sustained fatal head injuries in a brawl with alleged left-wingers. The murder sparked outrage across France, further fueling political tensions ahead of local elections in March and a presidential vote scheduled for next year.  

The murder “should concern us all,” the US State Department Bureau of Counterterrorism said on X shortly after Deranque’s death, claiming that “violent radical leftism is on the rise” and constitutes a public safety hazard. The US Embassy in France reiterated the message, triggering the row and further straining relations between Washington and Paris.