Donald Trump has chosen the father of his son-in-law Jared Kushner, Charles Kushner, as the next United States ambassador to France, the president-elect announced on Saturday.
Trump described Charles Kushner as a highly successful business leader, philanthropist and dealmaker with extensive experience in the real estate industry.
“I am pleased to nominate Charles Kushner of New Jersey as United States Ambassador to France. He is a formidable business leader, philanthropist, and dealmaker who will be a strong advocate for our country and its interests,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social article.
The president-elect also highlighted the connection to Jared Kushner, who is married to Trump’s daughter Ivanka. “His son, Jared, worked closely with me at the White House, particularly on Operation Warp Speed, criminal justice reform, and the Abraham Accords,” Trump wrote in his message.
Charles Kushner was pardoned by Trump in 2020 following a 2005 conviction on federal charges. Chris Christie, who led the case as the U.S. attorney for New Jersey, said in 2019 that Kushner had committed “one of the most repugnant and disgusting crimes” he had prosecuted.
Kushner, who was then under investigation for illegal campaign contributions, targeted his brother-in-law, William Schulder, a former employee who became a witness for federal prosecutors in their case against the Democratic donor. As part of the plot, Kushner hired a prostitute to trick Schulder into having sex in a motel while a hidden camera was filming. A tape of the encounter was later sent to Kushner’s sister and Schulder’s wife. Ultimately, the intimidation stunt failed and the woman turned on Kushner.
Kushner pleaded guilty in 2005 to 16 counts of tax evasion, one count of retaliating against a federal witness and another count of lying to the Federal Election Commission. He was sentenced to two years in prison.
Trump’s announcement comes as Jared Kushner has said he has no plans to be part of the president-elect’s second administration. Kushner said at an event in Miami in February that he had been “very clear” in his desire to focus on his private equity firm “at this phase” of his life.
Kushner, however, is seen as central to the new administration’s efforts in the Middle East, even though he is not likely to hold an official position there, regional diplomats and Trump allies told CNN at the beginning of the month.
Since Trump left office in 2021, Kushner and his wife, Ivanka Trump, have moved to Miami and largely left politics. Kushner founded an investment fund, Affinity Partners, shortly after leaving Washington with significant support from Gulf sovereign wealth funds.
During Trump’s first term, Kushner’s fingerprints were on many, if not all, items on the administration’s agenda, including immigration, relations with China, the Middle East and White House response to coronavirus.
This story has been updated with additional information.
CNN’s Gregory Krieg, Kevin Liptak, Kylie Atwood and Ali Main contributed to this report.
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