Charles Kushner, father of Trump's son-in-law, confirmed as US ambassador to France

Published on 20/05/2025 - 10:52 GMT+2

The US Senate has confirmed Charles Kushner, nan begetter of President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, to service arsenic ambassador to France.

The 70-year-old existent property developer, who received a statesmanlike pardon from Trump successful December 2020 complete convictions for witnesser tampering and taxation evasion, was confirmed by a 51-45 ballot successful nan Senate connected Monday.

When Trump announced his desire to nominate Kushner successful November, nan US president called him "a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, and dealmaker." Kushner's boy Jared is simply a erstwhile White House advisor who is joined to Trump’s eldest daughter, Ivanka.

At his confirmation proceeding connected 1 May earlier nan Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Kushner was asked astir his criminal past. He was sentenced successful 2005 to 2 years successful situation aft pleading blameworthy to 18 counts.

"My misjudgement and correction was complete 20 years ago," Kushner told nan hearing.

"Since then, I've been pardoned by President Trump. But I don’t beryllium present earlier you coming and show you I'm a cleanable person. I americium not a cleanable person. I made a very very very superior mistake, and I paid a very dense value for that mistake," he added.

Former New Jersey politician and Republican statesmanlike campaigner Chris Christie — who brought nan charges against Kushner erstwhile he was a US lawyer successful nan early 2000s — said his lawsuit was "one of nan astir loathsome, disgusting crimes" he ever prosecuted.

Kushner will spell to France arsenic nan narration betwixt nan 2 accepted allies, and betwixt Washington and nan remainder of Europe, has been strained complete Trump's waste and acquisition policies and nan US position connected Russia's full-scale penetration of Ukraine.

At his confirmation hearing, Kushner said he would activity intimately pinch France to "bring greater equilibrium to our important economical relationship" and besides promote France to "invest much successful its defence capabilities, arsenic good arsenic lead nan EU to align pinch nan US imagination of accrued European commitments to security."

It is unclear really Kushner's assignment will beryllium received successful France. After Trump announced his information successful November, Gérard Araud, a erstwhile French ambassador to nan US, was among respective group to definitive scepticism aliases disapproval complete nan decision.

"Needless to say, he has nary knowledge of our country. At slightest he will person entree to nan president. We console ourselves arsenic champion we can," Araud wrote successful a station connected X.

Senator Cory Booker, who represents Kushner's location authorities of New Jersey, was nan lone Democrat to ballot successful favour connected Monday. One Republican, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, voted against it.