The U.S. will become the first country not to be present at its own review since 2008.
On September 5, 2025, the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) confirmed that the United States will not participate in the Universal Periodic Review of human rights scheduled for November, marking a significant shift in its engagement with international human rights processes, reports 24brussels.
Ravina Shamdasani, spokeswoman for the OHCHR, stated that “High Commissioner Volker Türk is concerned, aware of the decision and regrets that the United States will not take part in this important intergovernmental peer review process.” This review typically involves an assessment of a country’s human rights status by other U.N. member states, who express concerns, pose questions, and offer recommendations.
Earlier this year, the U.S. had already announced its withdrawal from the Human Rights Council and confirmed in August that it would not attend the fourth session dedicated to its own review, originally set for November. If this decision is upheld, the U.S. will be the first country to forgo its presence at its own review since the inception of the system in 2008.
Although the United States temporarily withdrew from the Human Rights Council during Donald Trump’s presidency (2017–2021), it still participated in its third Universal Periodic Review in 2020. Shamdasani remarked, “The constructive participation of the United States and of all states with the Council has contributed for years to the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide.” She added that the OHCHR will continue its engagement with the U.S. government and various civil society actors on human rights issues.
This withdrawal reflects broader tensions regarding U.S. human rights policies on the global stage, as it has recently faced criticism for imposing sanctions on Palestinian human rights organizations advocating for investigations into alleged war crimes by Israel. The implications of the U.S.’s absence from this significant international forum raise concerns about the future of global human rights dialogues.
