Kushner: France Has Lost Its Way on Antisemitism, Time Interview Says

U.S. Ambassador to France Charles Kushner said in a TIME France interview that France has lost its way in addressing rising antisemitism and urged Paris to take stronger action against what he described as hostility toward Jewish life. The interview with Vivienne Walt expands on a letter Kushner sent to President Emmanuel Macron last July, warning that antisemitism had long scarred French life and urging the government to act.

The interview comes after Kushner’s letter was published by the Wall Street Journal, drawing an angry response from Macron and Foreign Minister Jean‑Noël Barrot, who characterized the diplomat’s remarks as inappropriate and said Kushner did not know the country. Kushner acknowledged the political heat but stood by his contention that frank assessment was needed to address a problem he called pervasive and painful for French Jews. He said he was acting in part as a parent of Holocaust survivors, and that the issue felt very personal to him.

In the TIME interview, Kushner described what he has learned from conversations with Jewish communities in France: that a large share of French Jews live in fear and feel abandoned by their government. He said the message from many families is that they no longer identify publicly as Jewish because they fear harassment and intimidation. He quoted his own background to underline the gravity of the moment, noting his status as the child of Holocaust survivors and arguing that the burden falls on current leaders to defend vulnerable communities. He also cited a statistic he said reflected a lack of Holocaust education, a claim that has been disputed by researchers who point to different methodologies and figures.

Kushner contrasted two national systems. He said in the United States, actions against antisemitism on campuses and in broader society have been swift and pointed, while in France the government has been slow to translate statements into tangible consequences—fewer arrests, less visible punishment for perpetrators, and limited enforcement against antisemitic acts. He offered a blunt comparison: in his view, American leadership has shown a willingness to apply pressure when antisemitism crosses lines, whereas French authorities have tended to respond with rhetoric and policy pauses.

The ambassador also addressed questions about the sources of antisemitism, saying the issue is broader than any single community. He acknowledged that France’s Jewish population has declined from roughly 600,000 to about 440,000 over recent years and cautioned against attributing it to a single cause, including demographics alone. He said the rise of radicalized elements within some segments of the Muslim community has contributed to tensions, but he stressed that not all Muslims should be blamed and that many have long lived in peaceful coexistence with Jews in France.

Kushner argued that ongoing Gaza demonstrations in Europe have fed a climate in which inflammatory language and calls for the destruction of Israel can spill over into hostility toward Jews. He cautioned against equating legitimate political critique with antisemitic rhetoric, but he also asserted that phrases such as calls for Israel’s elimination constitute expressed hatred in his view. He added that open borders in Europe, while not the sole cause, can influence the ease with which radicalized voices spread.

On practical steps, Kushner said he had sought meetings with France’s education minister and the rector of the Grand Mosque of Paris to pursue joint initiatives between Jewish and Muslim communities. He described himself as a proud Jew and Zionist who nonetheless does not tar all Muslims with the same brush, while recognizing that radical elements exist and that they pose a threat to open, pluralistic societies. He stressed the importance of education as a path to greater understanding and tolerance, and he argued that schools should teach the Holocaust clearly and comprehensively as part of the national curriculum.

The interview underscores a broader international debate over how to confront antisemitism in Europe as memories of the Holocaust and fears about rising hate crimes persist. Kushner did not offer a timeline for when or how France might change course, but he called for a more serious and sustained response from the government—one that pairs strong rhetoric with concrete enforcement, education, and interfaith dialogue. The remarks also highlight a rift in transatlantic views on governance, free expression, and the best means to protect minority communities in an era of renewed security concerns and geopolitical tension.

Kushner’s comments come at a moment when Paris is navigating a complex landscape of domestic extremism, interfaith relations, and evolving demographics. While his criticisms drew pushback from French officials, they also echoed longstanding concerns raised by some observers that antisemitism remains a pressing challenge that requires sustained policy effort, clear accountability, and public leadership on both the national and local levels.