Trump's Diplomatic Wrecking Crew Is Alienating America's Allies

U.S. Ambassador to France Charles Kushner refused to answer a French government summons this week. It was the second time he'd snubbed such a request. The trigger? The State Department had waded into a French domestic matter, posting on social media that a far-right activist's murder was the work of "violent leftists." France saw this as interference in its internal affairs and called in Kushner for clarification. He didn't show.

The result? France banned Kushner from meeting with any French government officials—the diplomatic equivalent of being declared persona non grata. For an ambassador to a major ally, it's about as serious as diplomatic snubs get.

But here's the thing that makes this story particularly surreal: Charles Kushner is Jared Kushner's father and a convicted felon who served time in federal prison for tax violations and witness tampering. His method of intimidation was particularly creative—he hired a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law, then sent video of the encounter to his own sister.

The Point Is the Insult

As authoritarianism scholar Ruth Ben-Ghiat noted on X, Kushner "was put there as a (pardoned) felon to symbolize the death of democratic notions of diplomacy in the US. This thuggish individual was installed in Paris as an act of aggression towards democratic France."

The pattern extends beyond Paris. In Warsaw, Ambassador Tom Rose declared he would have "no further dealings" with the speaker of Poland's lower house, Włodzimierz Czarzasty, after the Polish politician dared to suggest that Trump didn't deserve a Nobel Peace Prize. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk responded with diplomatic restraint but unmistakable irritation: "Mr. Ambassador Rose, allies should respect, not lecture, each other."

In Ottawa, Pete Hoekstra delivered an expletive-laced tirade defending Trump's tariffs. In Chile, Brandon Judd told the country's president that criticism of Trump "harm[s] the Chilean people." In Reykjavik, Billy Long made a tone-deaf joke about making Iceland the 52nd state.

Biblical Diplomacy Gone Wrong

But the crown jewel of ambassadorial incompetence belongs to Mike Huckabee in Jerusalem. During an interview with Tucker Carlson—itself a questionable choice for a sitting ambassador—Huckabee was asked whether God gave the entire Middle East, "from the Nile to the Euphrates," to the Jewish people.

Huckabee's response: "It would be fine if they took it all."

When Carlson pressed him on whether Israel should "take over all of it," Huckabee missed the lifeline: "They don't want to take it over. They're not asking to take it over." The damage was done. An American diplomat stationed in Jerusalem had just casually endorsed Israeli control over hundreds of millions of Arabs' homeland.

The region erupted in fury. Huckabee later called his statement "hyperbolic," but the diplomatic fallout was real and immediate.

A Pattern of Calculated Incompetence

These aren't isolated incidents of poor judgment. They're part of a deliberate strategy. Trump has populated key diplomatic posts with loyalists, family connections, and scandal-plagued figures: Herschel Walker (whose Senate campaign imploded amid scandals) to the Bahamas, Kimberly Guilfoyle (his son's ex-girlfriend) to Greece, Matthew Whitaker (zero foreign policy experience) to NATO.

The message is clear: Trump views these appointments as middle fingers to countries and institutions he doesn't understand or actively dislikes. Why not send a convicted felon to represent America in France? Why not saddle NATO with someone who has no diplomatic experience?

The Real Cost of Diplomatic Vandalism

Trump and his supporters might find it amusing to watch European allies squirm. But as General Dan Caine reportedly noted last week when discussing potential conflict with Iran, America's alliances are "not in order." This isn't just about hurt feelings—it's about strategic vulnerability.

Diplomacy isn't a reality TV show where shocking behavior drives ratings. It's the careful cultivation of relationships that America depends on when crises hit. When you need intelligence sharing, military cooperation, or economic coordination, the countries you've spent years insulting might not be so eager to help.

The irony is stark: At a time when America faces complex global challenges—from China's rise to Middle East instability to climate change—Trump is systematically alienating the very partners America needs most. His "America First" approach is becoming "America Alone."