Former President Donald Trump announced, on November 30, his intention to nominate Charles Kushner, a real estate developer and father of his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as the United States ambassador to France.
The nomination comes four years after Trump pardoned Kushner, who had served a two-year prison sentence following his 2005 conviction on charges of tax evasion, witness tampering, and making illegal campaign contributions.
Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social platform, praising Kushner as “a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker, who will be a strong advocate representing our Country & its interests.” He highlighted Kushner’s 1999 Ernst & Young New Jersey “Entrepreneur of the Year” award and emphasized the nominee’s potential role in strengthening America’s relationship with France.
The elder Kushner’s legal troubles stemmed from a family dispute that escalated into criminal charges. Court records show he admitted to filing false tax returns that claimed over $1 million in partnership charitable contributions as office expenses, resulting in IRS losses between $200,000 and $325,000.
As part of his guilty plea, Kushner acknowledged devising a scheme to retaliate against his brother-in-law, who was cooperating with federal investigators. Kushner hired a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law and secretly recorded their encounter and sent the evidence to his brother-in-law’s wife, Charles Kushner’s sister.
Chris Christie, the former governor of New Jersey, was the prosecutor in the case and referred to it as one of the most repugnant and revolting crimes he had ever encountered.
Following his conviction, Kushner was disbarred in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The nomination will require Senate confirmation, though it remains unclear how his background might affect the process.
The Kushner family’s business interests have expanded significantly in recent years. Kushner Companies, now valued at $2.9 billion, has shifted its focus to apartment developments and properties outside New York City, particularly in the Baltimore-Washington area and the Sun Belt region.
The total Kushner family net worth has grown from $1.8 billion in 2016 to an estimated $7.1 billion, surpassing the value of Trump’s real estate holdings.
Charles Kushner’s son Jared, who is married to Trump’s daughter Ivanka, previously served as a senior advisor in the Trump administration. Trump noted Jared’s work on initiatives including Operation Warp Speed, Criminal Justice Reform, and the Abraham Accords. However, neither Jared nor Ivanka are expected to take formal roles in a second Trump administration.
The appointment could face additional scrutiny due to Trump’s strained relationship with French President Emmanuel Macron, including Trump’s previous support for Macron’s far-right challenger.
On Saturday, Trump also revealed two additional appointments – he selected former aide Kash Patel to head the Federal Bureau of Investigation, an agency Patel has frequently criticized.
In a different announcement, Chad Chronister, the sheriff of Hillsborough County in Florida, was nominated to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The appointment of Kushner seems to be the first official role in the administration that Trump has given to a family member since his re-election. Charles Kushner was a major donor to Trump’s 2024 campaign.
