PARIS: The United States is considering delaying, or even blocking, President Emmanuel Macron’s choice for France’s next ambassador to Washington following public French criticism of the country’s human rights record, according to four sources.
While the sources said no decision has yet been taken, two said France’s criticism — delivered in a social media post by France’s mission to the United Nations in Geneva — had sparked genuine anger among some senior officials in President Donald Trump’s administration. Two other sources said officials were hoping to de-escalate tensions with France.
“The United States is very disappointed in the irresponsible and disrespectful rhetoric from the French,” a State Department official said. “We are responding appropriately to their comments.”
A US move to delay or reject Macron’s nominee would be highly unusual and could widen the fissure between the allies, who have recently clashed over tariffs and the Iran war.
Macron has filed the relevant paperwork for Aurlien Lechevallier, a former Elysee aide who is currently Foreign Minister Jean-Nol Barrot’s chief of staff, to become France’s next ambassador to Washington. France had hoped to have him installed by September, one of the sources said. But the process has run into difficulties since a post on X by France’s mission to the United Nations in Geneva.
In the post on Saturday, the mission criticised Washington for joining Russia, North Korea and seven other countries in voting against a proposal to extend the mandate of Volker Turk, the UN human rights chief, for another four years.
Turk is an outspoken critic of Israel’s conduct in Gaza who has also called for investigations into deaths in US immigration custody. “The US used to be a beacon of human rights. Not anymore,” the French mission wrote. “The world no longer listens to it.” One of the sources said the post had been reviewed and approved through official channels, dismissing suggestions that it was the work of a junior staffer acting independently.
Tensions flared further on Monday when the US delegation walked out as France addressed a United Nations Security Council meeting on Ukraine, accusing its ally of “disingenuous grandstanding.” France’s support for the renewal of Turk’s mandate “does not preclude close dialogue with the United States,” a French diplomatic official said.
“Differences of opinion regarding a vote do not call into question the quality of our relationship or our ability to work together,” the official added.
Worsening ties
France has been a longstanding US ally, but relations have soured during Trump’s second term. While Trump and Macron speak regularly, that hasn’t stopped the US president from targeting France with tariffs, accusing European governments of suppressing right-wing voices, and threatening Nato allies over defense spending and Greenland. Even before the latest spat, Washington had been riled by Barrot’s public comments about the US government, one of the sources said.
Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2026
