Trump picks Jared Kushner’s father, Charles Kushner, for ambassador to France

President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday said he would nominate Charles Kushner, a real estate developer and the father of his son-in-law Jared Kushner, as ambassador to France.

“He is a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker, who will be a strong advocate representing our Country & its interests,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social announcing his intent to nominate Kushner to serve as ambassador.

“Congratulations to Charlie, his wonderful wife Seryl, their 4 children, & 14 grandchildren,” Trump added in the post.

The president-elect also mentioned his son-in-law Jared Kushner, who is married to Ivanka Trump, in the post, highlighting the work Jared Kushner did in his first administration.

“[Charles’] son, Jared, worked closely with me in the White House, in particular on Operation Warp Speed, Criminal Justice Reform, & the Abraham Accords. Together, we will strengthen America’s partnership with France, our oldest Ally, & one of our greatest!” the president-elect wrote on Saturday.

In 2005, the elder Kushner was sentenced to two years in prison as part of a plea deal after he pleaded guilty to 18 counts of tax evasion, witness tampering and making illegal campaign donations.

Kushner was prosecuted by then-U.S. Attorney Chris Christie, who later became the governor of New Jersey and a major Trump foe. Christie ran against Trump in the 2016 and 2024 Republican primaries.

In 2019, while he was still governor, Christie called the Kushner case “one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes that I prosecuted … and I was the U.S. attorney in New Jersey.”

In 2020, Trump pardoned Charles Kushner, one of more than two dozen pardons the then-president issued after he lost his re-election bid.