UN Human Rights Council: U.S. skips review
Washington will miss its scheduled assessment on Tuesday, marking the first time a member state has fully avoided the universal periodic review process since 2006.
By Alexei Brooks ·
The United States will skip its scheduled human rights review at the United Nations on Tuesday. This marks the first time since the council was established two decades ago that a member nation has fully avoided the universal periodic review process.
The Trump administration withdrew the U.S. from the Geneva-based body last year. Officials cited what they described as anti-U.S. and anti-Israel bias. They also alleged the council failed to uphold the values it promoted while examining other nations.
The council examines the rights records of all 193 U.N. member states every four to five years. The U.S. originally had a slot in November 2025. That date was pushed back to this month in hopes that Washington might reconsider its stance. The government decided against participation.
A State Department spokesperson told The Associated Press via email that the U.S. gives no credibility to the agency. The official described the body as irredeemable. They accused the council of making a mockery of human rights through consistent failures to uphold its own values while pushing anti-American rhetoric.
The spokesperson also alleged a persistent failure by the council to condemn the most egregious human rights violators. Supporters of the council argue it must keep tabs on all member states, including the U.S., which faces criticism for strong-arm deportations and targeted killings of alleged drug-runners in the Caribbean and Pacific.
The administration maintains those policies are designed to protect U.S. workers and keep the country safe. Under normal circumstances, national delegations present their record, face questions, and hear recommendations from other envoys. This process is intended to hold governments accountable for their human rights policies.
Critics warn the U.S. walkout could encourage other nations to skip their own reviews. Jamil Dakwar, director of the American Civil Liberties Union's human rights program, said the administration is telling the world it does not care about being reviewed. He stated the U.S. will continue to violate human rights unabashedly.
Dakwar told reporters in Geneva on Monday that the council should hold the United States accountable. He said the ACLU and allies have asked the U.N. human rights chief to present an update on rights in the United States early next year. Eric Tistounet, a visiting professor at the Geneva Graduate Institute, noted that if the predominant global power does not show up or justify its absence, the credibility of the review system is in trouble.
