The French government has officially summoned U.S. Ambassador Charles Kushner after he accused President Emmanuel Macron of fueling antisemitism in France.
In a strongly worded letter published in the *Wall Street Journal*, Kushner criticized Macron for not doing enough to curb antisemitism. He also took issue with Macron’s recent announcement that France would support Palestinian statehood at the upcoming UN General Assembly, arguing that such gestures put French Jews at risk.
“Public statements haranguing Israel and gestures toward recognition of a Palestinian state embolden extremists, fuel violence, and endanger Jewish life in France,” Kushner wrote. “In today’s world, anti-Zionism is antisemitism—plain and simple.”
The French Foreign Ministry fired back on Sunday, saying Kushner’s claims were “unacceptable” and crossed the line of diplomatic protocol. The ministry emphasized that France is committed to fighting antisemitism but would not accept outside interference in its internal affairs. Summoning an ambassador is a rare step between close allies, and it signals Paris’s serious displeasure.
Kushner’s letter comes only weeks into his new role as ambassador, a post he received after being appointed by Donald Trump—his son-in-law’s father. His appointment drew attention not just because of his family ties but also because of his controversial past. In 2005, Kushner was convicted of fraud and witness tampering, though Trump later granted him a pardon.
France has indeed been grappling with a rise in antisemitic incidents, particularly after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. The French Interior Ministry reported 1,570 antisemitic acts in 2024—making up more than half of all religiously motivated hate crimes in the country. However, recent figures show a 27% drop in such incidents during the first half of 2025.
Macron has repeatedly condemned antisemitism, calling attacks on synagogues and Jewish sites a betrayal of French values. Still, his decision to push for Palestinian statehood has stirred controversy abroad, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denouncing it as a move that “rewards terror.”
Kushner, who is the son of Holocaust survivors, has made combating antisemitism central to his mission in France. Since arriving in Paris, he has visited the Holocaust memorial and other sites significant to the Jewish community. In his letter, he urged Macron to toughen France’s hate-crime enforcement and rethink any moves that could be seen as legitimizing Hamas. Photo by The White House, Wikimedia commons.
