US envoy calls French minister after foreign ministry snub, source says

US statements sparked cross-spectrum anger in France

An onlooker observes from a window of a building, as a person holds a flag in colours of the French flag featuring an artist rendition of a coat of arms, while people gather during a march in tribute to Quentin Deranque, a young far-right activist beaten to death during a violent assault by hard-left activists, in Lyon, France, Feb 21, 2026. REUTERS/Nicolas Economou

The US ambassador to France, Charles Kushner, called France's foreign minister on Tuesday and said he did not want to interfere in the public debate, a day after snubbing a summons at the foreign ministry, a source close to the minister said.

Kushner was banned by Jean-Noel Barrot on Monday evening from meeting members of the French government after the foreign ministry had summoned him over comments made by the embassy on the killing of a French far-right activist last week.

Quentin Deranque was beaten to death in a fight with alleged hard-left activists earlier this month. The fallout from the incident has stoked anger and accusations across the political spectrum just over a year from the presidential election.

The US Embassy in France and the US State Department's Bureau of Counterterrorism said they were monitoring the case, warning on X that "violent radical leftism was on the rise" and should be treated as a public safety threat.

The US move was deemed by French authorities as interference in its own affairs. With ties already strained between Washington and some of its European allies, Paris sought to make clear this would not be accepted.

"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 close to the minister said after Kushner called Barrot.

"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 source said.

The source did not say whether Kushner, father of US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, would be given access to other government members in the immediate term.