Trump picks convicted felon Charles Kushner as his ambassador to France

US President-elect Donald Trump nominated Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in-law Jared Kushner, as the ambassador to France in the Trump 2.0 administration on Saturday (Nov. 30). 

This marks the latest of the Republicans' controversial picks and is in line with his pattern, so far, of picking mostly wealthy Trump-loyalists close to him or his family.

In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump praised Kushner and said he "is a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker, who will be a strong advocate representing our Country & its interests."

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Who is Charlie Kushner?

70-year-old Charlie Kushner is an American real estate developer and disbarred former attorney. He founded Kushner Companies in 1985.

A convicted felon, he once served a two-year sentence, most of it in federal prison. In 2004, as per AFP, he had pleaded guilty to 18 counts of illegal campaign contributions, tax evasion, and witness tampering.

The case included some pretty sordid details. He had hired a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law — who was cooperating in a campaign finance inquiry. Kushner had the sexual encounter recorded, and sent a tape of it to his sister, to dissuade her from testifying against him. US attorney Chris Christie, the prosecutor who led the case against him, described it as a "loathsome" and "disgusting crime." 

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Apart from the prison sentence, he was also disbarred in three states.

In 2020, Trump issued a pardon for Charlie Kushner. 

A shift in diplomatic tradition 

The Paris ambassadorship, long associated with prominent figures such as Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, has traditionally been filled by distinguished diplomats or major political donors. Trump’s choice of Kushner, a convicted felon, is seen as a significant departure from historical precedent. 

If confirmed, Kushner would succeed Denise Bauer, a former ambassador to Belgium and Democratic fundraiser, underscoring the bipartisan practice of rewarding loyalists with prestigious diplomatic posts. 

(With inputs from agencies)