Donald Trump just made his pick for U.S. ambassador to France. Imagine him sitting down, deep in thought over who would be the right candidate for this position, and instantly jumping to Charles Kushner! A pardoned criminal who orchestrated a blackmail scheme so wild it could make the writers of Succession blush. Trump really is a revolutionary.
For those catching up: Charles Kushner once hired a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law, filmed the whole thing, and mailed the tape to his own sister. Nothing says “family value” like traumatizing your sibling to keep her husband quiet who was involved in a federal investigation against Charles. Apparently, for Trump, those skills translate into the ability to handle Franco-American relations. When it comes to representing America abroad, why not keep things interesting?
Trump announced his nomination on Truth Social (because where else?). The words he used to praise Kushner show how twisted his moral compass is. He said Kushner is a “tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker.” He left out the part about the 18 felony counts for tax evasion, illegal campaign donations, and, oh yes, witness tampering. Why would Trump leave this information out, being the rational person he is? It’s not like Kushner was sentenced to two years in prison before Trump swooped in with a 2020 pardon. Oh, wait, that’s actually what happened. When you’re in Trump’s orbit, felonies are just résumé boosters.
Trump’s atrocities can be depressing, but the internet here is to cheer us up as X continues to have a field day with Trump’s nominations. Political commentator Ana Navarro made the connection Trump was hoping we would miss. “Trump just appointed Jared Kushner’s father, who he pardoned in 2020, as US Ambassador to France. Alrighty then. I guess this means we wont hear a peep out of Trumpers, if Joe Biden pardons or commutes the sentence of his own damn son. #MAFA Make American Felons Ambassadors,” she posted. That’s right, Trump’s campaign couldn’t stop talking about the “special treatment” Hunter Biden was supposedly getting from his father.
As one X user pointed out, this nomination isn’t just shocking; it’s downright embarrassing for a country that claims to value integrity in its diplomatic corps. Ambassadors are supposed to represent the best of America’s investment in soft power. Let’s not sugarcoat it: Charles Kushner’s skill set — blackmail, tax fraud, and a level of audacity that would make Bond villains jealous — doesn’t exactly scream “ambassadorial material.”
We have to consider that Charles Kushner is just a way for Trump to mess with France. During his 2016-2020 term, Trump repeatedly clashed with Macron, France’s president. There was a trade dispute over wine, and Macron didn’t like that Trump wasn’t committed to the NATO alliance. And we all know how much Trump likes to hold a grudge. So, this appointment may just be a middle finger to Macron.
It’s hard to imagine how this will play out. Will Kushner stroll into the Élysée Palace and pitch real estate deals over croissants? Will he send baguettes with GoPro footage attached to world leaders? Who’s to say?
