The United States is set on Tuesday to become the first country to fully shun a regular review of its human rights record at the UN Human Rights Council since the body was created two decades ago. The Trump administration pulled the US out of the council last year, accusing the Geneva-based body of an anti-US and anti-Israel bias. Officials also alleged that it failed to uphold the values it promotes.
The Geneva-based council regularly examines the rights records of all 193 UN member states roughly every four to five years through a process known as the universal periodic review. The United States previously skipped its appointment for the review a year ago. A scheduled November 2025 review was pushed back until Tuesday in hopes that the government might change its mind.
A State Department spokesperson said in an email that they give no credibility to the agency. The spokesperson described the body as irredeemable and stated that it makes 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 to condemn the most egregious human rights violators.
The council states that the review process requires the participation of the country in question. In the absence of any national representatives, the review cannot go forward. National delegations normally make a presentation, face questions, and hear recommendations from other national envoys during these sessions.
Supporters back the mandate to keep tabs on human rights in all UN member states, including the US. Washington has drawn criticism for policies such as strong-arm deportations and targeted killings of alleged drug-runners in the Caribbean and Pacific. The administration has maintained that these measures are designed to protect US workers and help keep the country safe.
Critics of the snub warn that the walkout could encourage other countries to follow suit. Many nations bristle about intense scrutiny from human rights monitors. Jamil Dakwar, director of the American Civil Liberties Union human rights program, spoke to reporters in Geneva on Monday during a civil society push to raise awareness about the US rights record.
Dakwar stated that the administration is telling the world that it does not care about being reviewed and will continue to violate human rights. He added that civil society groups are demanding the council hold the United States accountable. The ACLU and allied groups have called on the UN human rights chief to respond by presenting an update on rights in the United States early next year.
Eric Tistounet, a visiting professor at the Geneva Graduate Institute and the council’s first secretary, warned that the walkout could affect the credibility of the review system. He said that if the predominant global power, which has always claimed to adhere to human rights norms, does not show up and does not justify why, the system faces serious trouble.
