President-elect Trump announced Saturday that he has chosen Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in-law and a real estate mogul who was convicted of federal charges before being pardoned during Trump's first term, to be ambassador to France. "He is a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker, who will be a strong advocate representing our Country & its interests," Trump posted on Truth Social, per USA Today. He is the father of Jared Kushner, who is married to Trump's daughter Ivanka.
The founder of Kushner Companies was convicted in 2005 of preparing false tax returns, retaliating against a cooperating witness, and making false statements to the Federal Election Commission. He was released in 2006 after completing about 16 months of a two-year sentence in federal prison and a halfway program. Trump pardoned him in 2020, citing his philanthropy. "This record of reform and charity overshadows Mr. Kushner's conviction and 2 year sentence," Trump's office said at the time. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who handled the case as a US attorney, described it as "one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes that I prosecuted." Kushner admitted to paying a prostitute to seduce his sister's husband in an effort to keep her from testifying in the federal case.
Jared Kushner, who was a senior adviser to his father-in-law in Trump's first administration, has said he doesn't intend to take a job in the next one, CNN reports. FEC records show Charles and Jared Kushner each gave the fundraising group Trump 47 Committee the maximum donation of $844,600 earlier this year, per the Wall Street Journal. (More President-elect Trump stories.)
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