France summons US ambassador over comments on slain far-right activist

The French foreign ministry will summon the US ambassador to Paris over comments made by the Trump administration about the killing of a French far-right activist blamed on the hard left, France's top diplomat said Sunday, Report informs via AFP.

The death of Quentin Deranque has put France on edge, igniting tensions ahead of a 2027 presidential vote. It has also provoked international reactions, with US President Donald Trump's administration on Friday denouncing what it called "terrorism" in France.

"We are going to summon the United States ambassador to France, since the US embassy in France commented on this tragedy (...) which concerns the national community," Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot told France Inter radio. "We reject any attempt to use this tragedy (...) for political purposes," he added.

The foreign ministry did not say when Ambassador Charles Kushner – the father of Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner – would be summoned.

Deranque, 23, died from head injuries following clashes between radical-left and far-right supporters on the sidelines of a February 12 demonstration against a politician from the left-wing La France Insoumise (LFI) party in Lyon. More than 3,000 people marched in Lyon on Saturday in tribute to Deranque, with authorities deploying heavy security, fearing further clashes.