**Trump Nominates Charles Kushner as Ambassador to France**

In a surprising move, President-elect Donald J. Trump announced on Saturday his intention to appoint Charles Kushner, a prominent real estate executive and the father of Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as the new U.S. Ambassador to France. This appointment marks one of Trump's early and significant ambassadorial choices, entrusted to a close family affiliate.

The relationship between Trump and Kushner has been long-standing, with Kushner even receiving a presidential pardon from Trump during the final days of his first term. Kushner's pardon cleared him of various charges, including tax evasion and retaliating against a federal witness. Following this, Kushner became a significant donor to Trump’s 2024 campaign.

Trump expressed his confidence in Kushner through a social media post, highlighting Kushner’s business acumen and philanthropic endeavors. "He is a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker, who will be a strong advocate representing our Country & its interests," Trump said.

Charles Kushner, who is 70 years old, pleaded guilty in 2004 to several serious charges. These included 16 counts of tax evasion, retaliating against a federal witness, and false statements to the Federal Election Commission. Kushner admitted to orchestrating a scheme to discredit his brother-in-law, a witness in a campaign finance investigation, by videotaping him with a prostitute and sending the tape to his sister.

Trump's clemency for Kushner came as part of a broader wave of 26 pardons near the end of his first term, which also benefited other Trump allies like Paul Manafort and Roger J. Stone Jr. Kushner played a crucial role in advocating for others seeking clemency, using his son as a connector to present these cases to Trump.

The case against Kushner, which led to a two-year prison sentence, was prosecuted by Chris Christie, then a U.S. attorney and later the Governor of New Jersey. Christie has since become a vocal critic of Trump, consistently describing Kushner’s actions as highly reprehensible.

The ambassadorial role in France is a coveted position but presents potential challenges due to Trump’s contentious relationship with French President Emmanuel Macron. Trump’s tenure as president saw strained relations with Macron over a range of issues, including support for Ukraine against Russian aggression and U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal. Furthermore, Trump had expressed backing for Macron’s far-right opponent, Marine Le Pen, during the 2017 French presidential election, adding another layer of complexity to Kushner’s forthcoming role.