On November 30, former President Donald Trump unveiled his intention to put forth Charles Kushner, a real estate tycoon and father of his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as the US ambassador to France.
This proposal comes four years after Trump’s pardoning of Charles Kushner, who completed a two-year prison term after his 2005 conviction on tax evasion, witness tampering, and illicit campaign contributions.
Trump announced this appointment on his Truth Social platform, lauding Kushner as “a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker, who will be a strong advocate representing our Country & its interests.” He underscored Kushner’s 1999 Ernst & Young New Jersey “Entrepreneur of the Year” award and accentuated the nominee’s potential to fortify US-France relations.
Kushner’s legal issues stemmed from a family disagreement that spiraled into criminal charges. Court documents reveal he conceded to filing fraudulent tax returns, claiming over $1 million in partnership charitable gifts as office costs, leading to IRS losses between $200,000 and $325,000.
In his guilty plea, Kushner admitted to orchestrating a scheme to retaliate against his brother-in-law, who was collaborating with federal investigators. Kushner employed a prostitute to entrap his brother-in-law, covertly recorded their encounter, and sent the footage to his brother-in-law’s wife – Kushner’s own sister.
Chris Christie, former governor of New Jersey, served as the prosecutor in the case and characterized it as one of the most loathsome and repulsive crimes he had ever encountered.
Subsequent to his conviction, Kushner was disbarred in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The nomination necessitates Senate approval. However, the impact of his past on the confirmation process is uncertain.
The Kushner family’s business ventures have considerably expanded in recent years. Kushner Companies, currently valued at $2.9 billion, has shifted its focus to apartment developments and properties outside New York City, particularly in the Baltimore-Washington, D.C. area and the Sun Belt region.
The total net worth of the Kushner family has increased from $1.8 billion in 2016 to an estimated $7.1 billion, surpassing the value of Trump’s real estate portfolio.
Jared Kushner, son of Charles Kushner and husband to Ivanka Trump, served as a senior advisor in the Trump administration. Trump acknowledged Jared’s contributions to initiatives such as Operation Warp Speed, Criminal Justice Reform, and the Abraham Accords. Yet, it is not anticipated that Jared or Ivanka will assume official roles in a second Trump administration.
The nomination could face further scrutiny in light of Trump’s strained relationship with French President Emmanuel Macron, including Trump’s prior support for Macron’s far-right adversary.
On Saturday, Trump also disclosed two more appointments – he chose former aide Kash Patel to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation, an agency Patel has often criticized.
In another announcement, Chad Chronister, the sheriff of Hillsborough County, Florida, was nominated to head the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The nomination of Kushner appears to be the first official role in the administration that Trump has assigned to a family member since his re-election. Charles Kushner was a significant contributor to Trump’s 2024 campaign.
