France is angry because Trump chose Charles Kushner as special envoy to Paris
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France’s ruling elite reacted with a mixture of resignation and silent contempt to president-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of real estate developer, pardoned criminal and Charles family ties Kushner serves as US ambassador to France.
Kushner is the father of Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, who held many prominent positions in his first administration. The 70-year-old real estate executive is a major donor to Trump’s 2024 campaign.
He was also pardoned by the president at the end of Trump’s first term after being convicted of multiple counts of tax evasion, campaign finance violations and witness tampering, for which he spent time in prison. He was released in 2006.
“He is an outstanding business leader, philanthropist and negotiator who will be a strong advocate representing our Country and its interests,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Saturday as he announced his pick for ambassador, which will require confirmation by the US Senate.
The news was met with skepticism on the other side of the Atlantic. “I recommend reading his resume. ‘Juicy’ as Americans often say. . . Needless to say, he knows nothing about our country. At least he will have access to the president. We comfort ourselves as best we can,” former French ambassador to the US Gérard Araud wrote on X
“Can he at least speak French?” one commenter asked. “Obviously not,” Araud replied. Araud later added: “In the madness of Trump’s nominations, an almost complete disregard for respect for persons, customs and laws is demonstrated.”
François Heisbourg, senior adviser on Europe at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, questioned whether France would refuse to approve “the nomination of this sad figure” to X. “While rare, this type of refusal is part of the diplomatic prerogative of sovereign states.” .”
One French banker responded simply with an eye-rolling emoji when asked for his opinion on Kushner’s selection.
People nominated for US ambassadorships, especially for sought-after positions like the one in Paris, are often political donors or political allies of US presidents. Among them is Howard Leach, a food processing tycoon who does not speak French but was appointed ambassador by George W Bush from 2001-2005.
During his first term, Trump sent Jamie McCourt — a campaign donor who with her now-divorced husband once owned the LA Dodgers baseball team — to Paris as a special envoy his member. However, the nomination of a convicted criminal with family ties is highly unusual, even by the standards of recent US diplomatic appointments.
The first U.S. messenger to hold this position was Benjamin Franklin. Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe also took on this role.
The nomination comes at a complicated time in US-France relations, as Trump pressures European allies to significantly increase defense spending. During his election campaign, he also raised doubts about America’s continued support for Ukraine’s war effort against Russia’s invasion, while France is a vocal supporter of Ukraine. Trump announced he would end the conflict in one day but did not detail how.
President Emmanuel Macron tried to use charm and personal connections to smooth relations with Trump during his first term in the White House, but that often wasn’t enough to bridge the gap in the negotiations. Issues range from the role of NATO to Middle East politics or climate treaties. Macron is also now in a much weaker position politically, after losing the snap election he called this summer.
