US skips UN human rights review

The United States will become the first country to completely avoid a review of its human rights record at the U.N. Human Rights Council. The session was scheduled for Tuesday in Geneva. The council was created two decades ago and examines the rights of all 193 U.N. member states.

The Trump administration withdrew the U.S. from the council last year. Officials cited an anti-U.S. and anti-Israel bias. They also claimed the body failed to uphold the values it promotes.

The U.S. already missed its original review slot in November 2025. Organizers postponed that session until Tuesday, hoping Washington would change its mind. The government did not send a delegation.

A State Department spokesperson emailed The Associated Press to explain the absence. “(W)e give no credibility to the agency,” the spokesperson wrote. The official described the council as an “irredeemable body” that makes a “mockery of human rights.”

The council requires the participation of the country under review. If national representatives are absent, the review cannot proceed. Normally, delegations present their records and face questions from other envoys.

Jamil Dakwar, director of the ACLU’s human rights program, spoke to reporters in Geneva on Monday. He said the administration is signaling that it will continue to violate human rights unabashedly. He added, “No, enough is enough. This council should hold the United States accountable.”

The ACLU and allies have asked the U.N. human rights chief to provide an update on U.S. rights early next year. Eric Tistounet, a visiting professor at the Geneva Graduate Institute, warned that the walkout could damage the credibility of the review system. He noted that the U.S. has always claimed to adhere to human rights norms.