US Set to Shun UN Rights Review Amid Criticism
The United States skipped its scheduled UN Human Rights Council review on Tuesday. It is the first country to fully shun the process since the council began.
- 2025: The US also missed its originally scheduled November review.
- 193 UN member states face review roughly every four to five years.
- Nearly 200 submissions from advocacy groups covered migration and racial discrimination.
- The US took part in the review during Trump's first term.
Why it matters: The council says a review cannot proceed without the country under examination. That leaves the US record unexamined in the formal process.
- Eric Tistounet, the council's first secretary, said the walkout could hurt the review system's credibility.
- Critics warn other countries resisting scrutiny may follow the US example.
How 7 sources split on this story
Where they split: The dispute is whether the council is a credible human rights body: the State Department says it is biased against the US and Israel, while rights groups say the US is avoiding accountability for its own record.
Center coverage, 3 sources: The center sees a second consecutive US no-show that draws criticism from rights groups, alongside the State Department's case that participating would endorse a biased body.
Left coverage, 3 sources: The left sees the US as the first nation to walk away from review, risking the system's credibility while its deportation and military strike policies face criticism.
What’s next: The review will likely be postponed until January, according to a draft UN document and diplomats.
- The ACLU and allies want UN rights chief Volker Turk to present a US update early next year.
- Diplomats are skeptical, citing few states willing to confront Washington.
- Will other countries skip their own reviews after the US absence?
- Will Turk issue a US briefing without Washington's participation?
