US becomes first nation to fully skip UN human rights review

The United States is expected on Tuesday to make history by becoming the first nation to completely shun a regular review of its human rights record at the United Nations Human Rights Council. This development marks a significant shift since the council was established two decades ago.

The Trump administration withdrew the United States from the council last year, citing allegations of anti-US and anti-Israel bias. Officials argued that the body failed to uphold the values it claimed to promote. The Geneva-based council is mandated to examine the rights records of all 193 UN member states, typically on a cycle of four to five years, through a process known as the universal periodic review.

Although the US skipped its initial appointment last year, the review scheduled for November 2025 was postponed until Tuesday in hopes that the government might reconsider its stance. The administration ultimately declined to participate. A State Department spokesperson told The Associated Press in an email that the US gives no credibility to the agency.

The spokesperson described the council as an irredeemable body that mocks human rights through consistent failures to uphold its own values. They alleged that the council pushes anti-American rhetoric and persistently fails to condemn the most egregious human rights violators.

According to council rules, the review process requires the participation of the country in question. If no national representatives are present, the review cannot proceed. Typically, national delegations, which can include a dozen or more officials, present their case, face questions, and receive recommendations from other envoys. This process is intended to be a constructive mirror for governments to improve their policies.

Critics of the US snub warn that the walkout may encourage other nations, some of which dislike intense scrutiny from human rights monitors, to follow suit. Jamil Dakwar, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s human rights program, stated that the administration is signaling to the world that it does not care about being reviewed and will continue to violate human rights unabashedly.

Dakwar told reporters in Geneva on Monday that the council should hold the United States accountable. He noted that the ACLU and its allies have asked the UN human rights chief to present an update on rights in the US early next year. Meanwhile, Eric Tistounet, a visiting professor at the Geneva Graduate Institute and former secretary of the council, said the US absence could affect the credibility of the review system.

Tistounet argued that if the predominant global power, which has always claimed to adhere to human rights norms, does not show up or justify its absence, the council is in big trouble. This decision comes amid ongoing tensions, with Israel recently criticizing a council commission that found it was committing genocide in the Gaza Strip. Israel’s mission in Geneva called for the commission’s dissolution, describing the report as part of a misinformation campaign.

The US has drawn criticism for policies including strong-arm deportations and targeted killings of alleged drug-runners in the Caribbean and Pacific. The administration maintains these measures are designed to protect US workers and keep the country safe, further fueling the debate over its engagement with international rights bodies.