The United States is set to become the first country to fully skip a regular assessment of its human rights record by the United Nations Human Rights Council, according to multiple reports. The review is part of the council’s universal periodic review process, which periodically examines the rights records of all UN member states.
Context for the move includes the Trump administration’s earlier withdrawal from the Human Rights Council, alongside criticism from supporters of the council that it continues to monitor rights across all member states. Reporting also says the United States previously missed an earlier appointment for its review, and that a scheduled later review was pushed back in the hope the administration would participate.
Outlets differ mainly in emphasis and framing. The Independent and News Laundry highlight the refusal as an “ultimate” snub or “first” refusal, while CBS foregrounds the State Department’s justification for not engaging. Across coverage, the stated rationale centers on allegations that the council is biased and fails to uphold its own standards.
