The diplomatic dispute between France and the United States intensified after the United States ambassador to Paris, Charles Kushner, failed to attend an official summons from the French Foreign Ministry. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said the ambassador must explain his absence and will be denied access to senior French officials until he does so.

The summons followed statements from the United States State Department and the United States Embassy in Paris regarding the death of French far-right activist Quentin Deranque, who was beaten to death in Lyon. American officials labeled the killing as 'terrorism' and warned that 'violent radical leftism is on the rise,' prompting anger in Paris over what was seen as interference in domestic affairs.

Barrot described Kushner’s absence as a serious breach of diplomatic protocol and warned it would affect his ability to perform his duties in France. He stated that access to French government officials would only be restored once satisfactory explanations are provided.