BRUSSELS, June 27. /TASS/. Senior Advisor for the Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor at the US State Department Samuel Samson has recommended that the leadership of the US foreign policy agency extend support to Marine Le Pen, leader of France’s National Rally party. This move could undermine Washington’s relations with Paris, Politico reports, citing sources within the US State Department.

Samson made the recommendation earlier this week. This followed his meeting with the leadership of the National Rally party late last month. No final decision on the matter has been made yet.

The publication does not provide details on how exactly the US government might support Marine le Pen but notes that if the recommendation is approved, it would involve allocating taxpayer money for this purpose. Such a step by Washington "would be explosive, potentially undermining the nearly 250-year alliance between France and the United States," Politico states.

A Politico source within the US State Department dismissed Samson’s arguments in his report as "flat out false." The publication describes the senior advisor as "one of several young conservatives" who joined the department’s ranks after President Donald Trump’s return to the White House. Notably, he has criticized Germany’s decision to label the Alternative for Germany party as extremist. A similar stance on this issue has been voiced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other Trump allies.

On March 31, a Paris court sentenced Le Pen to four years in prison in connection with the parliamentary assistants case. The court also ruled to bar her from holding elected office and participating in elections for five years. Unlike the prison term, this measure took immediate effect and can only be overturned if an appeal succeeds. This ruling disqualifies her from running in the French presidential election in 2027 or participating in parliamentary elections in the event of an early dissolution of the National Assembly (the lower house of parliament). Le Pen slammed the ruling as politically motivated and filed an appeal with a higher court. The appellate review is expected to conclude by summer 2026.