Paris: Former European Commissioner Thierry Breton criticized the US ambassador to France on Tuesday after he failed to attend a summons at the French Foreign Ministry following remarks related to the death of a nationalist activist. US Ambassador Charles Kushner did not appear at the Quai d'Orsay on Monday as scheduled.
According to Anadolu Agency, Breton expressed his dissatisfaction during an interview on BFMTV/RMC, highlighting that Ambassador Kushner seemed to prioritize meetings with far-right leaders Jordan Bardella and Marine Le Pen over engaging with Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot. Breton commented, "That's his choice," and added, "If he does it, he undoubtedly has his reasons. We can only hope he knows what he's doing."
Breton further claimed that the ambassador had openly supported France's far-right National Rally party. He stated, "He has said it and he accepts it, he is there to support and develop the National Rally in France. He says it very explicitly." Additionally, Breton referenced a US national security document suggesting that Washington intended to rely on far-right parties in Europe to weaken European institutions.
The diplomatic tensions arose after US officials condemned what they described as "far-left" political violence following the death of Quentin Deranque, a 23-year-old nationalist activist who was beaten to death in Lyon, France. The US administration called for those responsible to be brought to justice. Breton emphasized the importance of maintaining stable diplomatic channels between Paris and Washington, stating, "I am committed to peaceful relations with the United States," and underscoring that official communication should occur through established diplomatic channels.
French media reacted strongly to these developments. Le Monde reported that Kushner had been summoned to the Foreign Ministry at the end of August over comments Paris deemed unacceptable, including criticism of President Emmanuel Macron for a perceived "lack of sufficient action" against antisemitism. However, Kushner did not attend that meeting either. Le Figaro described this as a breach of diplomatic protocol, emphasizing the ambassador's failure to attend despite a formal summons.
HuffPost France reported that the ambassador's absence risked exacerbating tensions and potentially prompting further diplomatic measures by Paris. France 24 described the situation as escalating, noting that restricting Kushner's direct access to government officials was an unusual and visible diplomatic signal. La Croix noted that Kushner's actions fit a pattern of controversial interventions since taking office in 2025, highlighting his close ties to US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and describing his actions as repeatedly stirring debate in France.
Commercial broadcaster TF1 emphasized the symbolic significance of an ambassador declining a formal summons, while Le Point interpreted the move as testing the limits of diplomatic norms. Quentin Deranque's death occurred on February 14, following severe injuries sustained during clashes at Lyon's Institute of Political Studies, where left-wing La France Insoumise MEP Rima Hassan had been invited to speak. Police sources reported that an initial fight involving around 50 people broke out between far-left activists and members of the far-right group Nemesis, which had organized a protest outside the venue. The violence later spread to nearby streets, resulting in Deranque being hospitalized in critical condition before being declared brain dead. The Lyon Prosecutor's Office opened an investigation for "aggravated intentional violence," with the victim's family describing the attack as "murder committed by an organized group."