The White House has admitted that it should have sent a higher-profile official to attend Sunday's unity march in Paris. 

It was responding to a barrage of criticism for President Barack Obama's decision not to attend the Paris march against extremism, attended by more than 40 world leaders.

The only senior American official in attendance was the U.S. ambassador to France Jane Hartley.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest.

"Some have asked whether the United States should have sent someone with a higher profile than the ambassador to France. I think it's fair to say that we should have sent someone with a higher profile to be there." 

He added that security concerns played a role in Obama's absence in the march.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who was visiting India at the time of the march, has said he will travel to Paris later this week to discuss countering extremist violence.