Charles Kushner

Quality 0.50 · 2 views · Updated 2 months ago

American real-estate developer and diplomat (born 1954)

title: "Charles Kushner" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1954-births", "living-people", "20th-century-american-businesspeople", "21st-century-american-businesspeople", "ambassadors-of-the-united-states-to-france", "ambassadors-of-the-united-states-to-monaco", "american-prisoners-and-detainees", "american-businesspeople-convicted-of-crimes", "american-chief-executives", "american-company-founders", "american-orthodox-jews", "american-people-convicted-of-tax-crimes", "american-people-of-belarusian-jewish-descent", "american-philanthropists", "american-political-fundraisers", "american-real-estate-and-property-developers", "businesspeople-from-elizabeth,-new-jersey", "businesspeople-from-essex-county,-new-jersey", "diplomats-from-new-jersey", "disbarred-new-jersey-lawyers", "disbarred-new-york-(state)-lawyers", "disbarred-pennsylvania-lawyers", "kushner-family", "maurice-a.-deane-school-of-law-alumni", "new-york-university-stern-school-of-business-alumni", "people-from-livingston,-new-jersey", "people-pardoned-by-donald-trump", "prisoners-and-detainees-of-the-united-states-federal-government", "second-trump-administration-personnel", "jewish-american-diplomats"] description: "American real-estate developer and diplomat (born 1954)" topic_path: "law" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Kushner" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American real-estate developer and diplomat (born 1954) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox officeholder"]

FieldValue
nameCharles Kushner
imageUnited States Ambassador to France and Monaco Charles Kushner.jpg
captionOfficial portrait, 2025
office19th United States Ambassador to France
and Monaco
term_startJuly 11, 2025
presidentDonald Trump
predecessorDenise Bauer
birth_nameChanan Kushner
birth_date
birth_placeElizabeth, New Jersey, U.S.
occupationCo-owner of Kushner Properties
spouseSeryl Stadtmauer
children4, including Jared and Joshua
parents
relativesKushner family
education
::

| name = Charles Kushner | image = United States Ambassador to France and Monaco Charles Kushner.jpg | caption = Official portrait, 2025 | office = 19th United States Ambassador to France and Monaco | term_start = July 11, 2025 | president = Donald Trump | predecessor = Denise Bauer | successor = | birth_name = Chanan Kushner | birth_date = | birth_place = Elizabeth, New Jersey, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | occupation = Co-owner of Kushner Properties | spouse = Seryl Stadtmauer | children = 4, including Jared and Joshua | father = | mother = | parents = | relatives = Kushner family | education = | height = Charles Kushner (born May 16, 1954) is an American real-estate developer, diplomat, convicted felon, and disbarred attorney

His elder son, Jared, is the husband of Ivanka Trump, the daughter of U.S. president Donald Trump, during whose first presidential administration he served as senior advisor from 2017 to 2021. He has three other children, including his younger son Joshua, a venture capitalist who is married to the supermodel Karlie Kloss.

In 2005, Kushner was convicted of illegal campaign contributions, tax evasion, and witness tampering, and was sentenced to two years' imprisonment, which he served in the Federal Prison Camp, Montgomery. As a convicted felon, he was also disbarred in three states. He later received a pardon issued by his son's father-in-law, President Trump, on December 23, 2020. Kushner has donated significant amounts to Trump's campaigns. Previously, he was a major Democratic party donor. In 2025, he was nominated by President Trump to serve as United States ambassador to France during his second administration. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on May 19, 2025, by a vote of 51–45.

Early life

Charles Kushner was born on May 16, 1954, to Joseph Berkowitz and Rae Kushner, Jewish Holocaust survivors born in eastern Poland who came to America from the USSR in 1949. At birth, he was named Chanan, after a maternal uncle who died in a German concentration camp during the Holocaust. He grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey, with his elder brother Murray Kushner His father worked as a construction worker, builder, and real estate investor. Kushner graduated from the Hofstra University School of Law in 1979.

Career

Kushner Companies

In 1985, Kushner began managing his father's portfolio of 4,000 New Jersey apartments. He founded Kushner Companies – headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey – and became its chairman.

Criminal conviction and pardon

On June 30, 2004, Kushner was fined $508,900 by the Federal Election Commission for contributing to Democratic political campaigns in the names of his partnerships when he lacked authorization to do so. In 2005, following an investigation by United States attorney for the District of New Jersey Chris Christie negotiated a plea agreement with him, under which Kushner pleaded guilty to 18 counts of illegal campaign contributions, tax evasion, and witness tampering. The witness tampering charge arose from Kushner's retaliation against William Schulder, his sister Esther's husband, who was cooperating with federal investigators against Kushner. Kushner hired a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law, arranging to record a sexual encounter between the two and send the tape to his sister. He was released from prison on August 25, 2006.

As a convicted felon, Charles Kushner was also disbarred and prohibited from practicing law in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Republican Chris Christie, who chaired Trump’s first transition team, said Kushner committed "one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes" he prosecuted.

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7f/2020-12-23_Trump_padron_for_Charles_Kushner-kushner_charles_pardon_warrant_12.23.2020.pdf" caption="December 2020 pardon granted by Donald Trump"] ::

On December 23, 2020, President Trump issued a full and unconditional pardon to Kushner, his daughter's father-in-law, citing his record of "reform" and "charity".

New York City real estate

After being released from prison, Kushner shifted his business activities from New Jersey to New York City. In early 2007, Kushner Companies bought the 666 Fifth Avenue building in Manhattan for $1.8 billion. In August 2018, Brookfield Properties signed a 99-year lease for the property, paying $1.286 billion and effectively taking full ownership of the building.

As of the end of 2016, Kushner and his family were estimated to have a net worth of $1.8 billion. He has employed two fellow inmates with whom he became acquainted in prison.

Donations

Kushner met personally with Harvard University's president and in 1998 donated $2.5 million to Harvard. His son, Jared, was then beginning his senior year of high school, where he was not a particularly good student with test scores below Ivy League standards. Jared was admitted to the Harvard freshman class of 1999.

Before 2016, Kushner was a donor to the Democratic Party. He is on the boards of Touro College, Stern College for Women, Rabbinical College of America, and the United Jewish Communities. Kushner has made other donations to Harvard, Stern College, and United Cerebral Palsy. He donated to the Seryl and Charles Kushner Maternity Unit at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, New Jersey. He contributed to the funding of two schools, Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy and Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School, also in Livingston, and named them after his parents. Kushner Hall is a building that is named after him on the Hofstra University campus. The campus of Jerusalem's Shaare Zedek Medical Center is named the "Seryl and Charles Kushner Campus" in honor of their donation of $20 million.

In August 2015, Kushner donated $100,000 to Donald Trump's Make America Great Again PAC, a super PAC supporting Trump's 2016 campaign for the presidency. Kushner and his wife also hosted a reception for Trump at their Jersey Shore seaside mansion in Long Branch. In 2023, he was one of the largest donors to a Trump super PAC, donating $1 million.

U.S. ambassador to France and Monaco

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/P202506018AH-0303_President_Donald_Trump_Raises_New_American_Flag_on_South_Lawn_of_the_White_House.jpg" caption="Kushner with his family and President [[Donald Trump]] at the [[White House]] in June 2025"] ::

On November 30, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate Kushner to serve as the United States ambassador to France and Monaco in his second administration. On February 12, 2025, Kushner's nomination was sent to the Senate. His nomination was confirmed by the U.S. Senate by a vote of 51-45. Cory Booker was the one Democratic senator to support his confirmation. Kushner was sworn in on July 11, 2025.

In an open letter on the 25 August 2025, Kushner expressed his "worry about the rise of anti-Semitism in France", as he sees it, and the corresponding "lack of action by the French government". The French government said The Ambassador's allegations were "unacceptable" and summoned him to attend the Quai d'Orsay (the foreign ministry); Kushner did not attend.

Charles Kushner presented his credentials to Albert II, Prince of Monaco on October 27, 2025.

References

References

  1. https://x.com/USAmbFrance/status/1943642959611633975
  2. (2020-12-23). "Statement from the Press Secretary Regarding Executive Grants of Clemency". [[whitehouse.gov]].
  3. "Paul Manafort, Roger Stone, Charles Kushner among those pardoned by Trump". ABC News.
  4. Sherman, Gabriel. (July 12, 2009). "The Legacy".
  5. Heyman, Marshall. (May 15, 2014). "City Real-Estate Royalty Gives to Israeli Hospital". The Wall Street Journal.
  6. Mansnerus, Laura. (19 August 2004}}{{cbignore}}{{void). "Major Donor Admits Hiring Prostitute to Smear Witness". The New York Times.
  7. Sherman, Gabriel. (July 12, 2009). "The Legacy".
  8. [http://bulletin.hofstra.edu/content.php?catoid=80&navoid=8562 "Academic Chairs and Distinguished Professorships"], section: "The Joseph Kushner Distinguished Professorship in Civil Liberties Law". ''2016–2017 Undergraduate Bulletin'', [[Hofstra University]]. Retrieved October 28, 2016.
  9. (2010). "Charles Kushner". Gawker Media.
  10. (November 2007). "Charles Kushner".
  11. (July 4, 2004). "Briefings: Politics: F.E.C. Fines Developer". The New York Times.
  12. Smothers, Ronald (March 5, 2005). [https://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/05/nyregion/democratic-donor-receives-twoyear-prison-sentence.html "Democratic Donor Receives Two-Year Prison Sentence"]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved February 24, 2011.
  13. Hanley, Robert. (January 13, 2005). "Donor Apologized to Sister for Seduction of Husband". The New York Times.
  14. Sullivan, John (August 22, 2004). [https://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/22/nyregion/like-an-abandoned-planet.html "Like an 'Abandoned Planet'"]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  15. (July 18, 2004). "So, Did You Get My Gift?". [[Time (magazine).
  16. He was sentenced to two years in prison and served 14 months at [[Federal Prison Camp, Montgomery]], in Alabama before being sent to a [[halfway house]] in [[Newark, New Jersey]], to complete his sentence.Sommer, Allison Kaplan (March 1, 2016). "[https://www.haaretz.com/world-news/u-s-election-2016/.premium-1.706420 Meet the Kushners: The Feuding Real Estate Dynasty That Links Donald Trump and Chris Christie]". ''[[Haaretz]]''. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  17. Lizzie Widdicombe, [Ivanka and Jared's Power Play: How the patrician couple came to have an outsized influence on a populist Presidential campaign], ''The New Yorker'' (August 22, 2016).
  18. [http://nymag.com/news/features/57891/index1.html#print ''New York Magazine'': "The Legacy – his son Jared, the 28-year-old Observer owner, has to carry the ambition for the both of them" By Gabriel Sherman] July 12, 2009
  19. . ["Charles Kushner"](https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/).
  20. ''[http://www.leagle.com/decision/20051118870A2d248_11116/IN%20RE%20KUSHNER In re Kushner]'', 870 [[Atlantic Reporter. A.2d]] 248, 183 N.J. 130 (2005).
  21. ''[http://www.leagle.com/decision/200597118AD3d953_1273/IN%20THE%20MATTER%20OF%20KUSHNER In the Matter of Kushner]'', 18 A.D.3d 953, 793 N.Y.S.2d 781 (2005) (per curiam).
  22. "Public Discipline". [[Pennsylvania Bar Association]].
  23. "Chris Christie: Jared Kushner's father committed 'one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes' I prosecuted". CNN.
  24. (December 29, 2020). "Trump pardons Jared Kushner's father".
  25. Bagli, Charles V. (December 7, 2006). [https://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/07/nyregion/07building.html "A Big Deal, Even in Manhattan: A Tower Goes for $1.8 Billion"]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved November 12, 2007.
  26. (August 3, 2018). "Deal Gives Kushners Cash Infusion on 666 Fifth Avenue". The New York Times.
  27. Plitt, Amy. (August 6, 2018). "Kushner Companies finally makes a deal to offload its troubled Midtown tower". Curbed NY.
  28. (August 3, 2018). "Brookfield Acquires 99 Year Lease on NYC tower from Kushner Company". Bloomberg.com.
  29. (January 27, 2017). "Kushner's Felon Father Back at Helm of New York Empire With Two Fellow Inmates". Bloomberg.com.
  30. Golden, Daniel. (2006). "[[The Price of Admission]]". Crown.
  31. Tough, Paul. (2019). "The Years That Matter Most". [[Houghton Mifflin Harcourt]].
  32. Dickter, Adam. (July 23, 2004). "Kushner Fallout Unclear". [[The Jewish Week]].
  33. [http://jewishpartisans.org/t_switch.php?pageName=mini+bio+short+bio+1&fromSomeone=&parnum=54 "Mini Bio: Rae Kushner"], Jewish Partisan Educational Foundation. Retrieved September 28, 2011.
  34. (October 27, 2010). "Hofstra Myths Debunked: Campus buildings named after criminals?". The Hofstra Chronicle.
  35. "Shaare Zedek Medical Center campus to be named in honor of New York couple". The Jerusalem Post.
  36. Katy O'Donnell, [https://www.politico.com/story/2015/08/donald-trump-donor-fundraising-2016-121645 Trump attended big-donor fundraiser last month], ''Politico'' (August 23, 2015).
  37. Maggie Haberman, [https://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/08/23/donald-trump-pays-a-visit-to-his-not-so-poor-relations/ Donald Trump Pays a Visit to His Not-So-Poor Relations], ''The New York Times'' (August 23, 2016).
  38. (August 2023). "Trump PAC Down to $4 Million Cash on Hand After Legal Fees". The New York Times.
  39. "Jared Kushner's relatives donate max to Chris Christie's 2024 presidential bid despite putting Jared's dad in prison".
  40. "Jared Kushner's dad Charles, who Trump pardoned, gave $1 million to a Trump super PAC".
  41. (30 November 2024). "Trump Names Charles Kushner as Pick for Ambassador to France". [[The New York Times]].
  42. (February 12, 2025). "Nominations Sent to the Senate". The White House.
  43. https://x.com/USEmbassyFrance/status/1943643308661629348?t=XDHjAf4Lp6ZfBVqNAz74_w&s=09
  44. (2025-08-24). "Charles Kushner, ambassadeur des Etats-Unis en France, convoqué lundi au Quai d'Orsay après avoir critiqué « l'absence d'action suffisante » d'Emmanuel Macron contre l'antisémitisme".
  45. "United States – Ambassador's allegations of anti-Semitism in France (25 August 2025)". Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères.
  46. https://en.gouv.mc/Princely-Governement/News/H.E.-Mr-Charles-Kushner-Ambassador-Extraordinary-and-Plenipotentiary-of-the-United-States-of-America-to-Monaco-presents-credentials-to-the-Sovereign-Prince

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

1954-birthsliving-people20th-century-american-businesspeople21st-century-american-businesspeopleambassadors-of-the-united-states-to-franceambassadors-of-the-united-states-to-monacoamerican-prisoners-and-detaineesamerican-businesspeople-convicted-of-crimesamerican-chief-executivesamerican-company-foundersamerican-orthodox-jewsamerican-people-convicted-of-tax-crimesamerican-people-of-belarusian-jewish-descentamerican-philanthropistsamerican-political-fundraisersamerican-real-estate-and-property-developersbusinesspeople-from-elizabeth,-new-jerseybusinesspeople-from-essex-county,-new-jerseydiplomats-from-new-jerseydisbarred-new-jersey-lawyersdisbarred-new-york-(state)-lawyersdisbarred-pennsylvania-lawyerskushner-familymaurice-a.-deane-school-of-law-alumninew-york-university-stern-school-of-business-alumnipeople-from-livingston,-new-jerseypeople-pardoned-by-donald-trumpprisoners-and-detainees-of-the-united-states-federal-governmentsecond-trump-administration-personneljewish-american-diplomats