- U.S. diplomats walked out during a U.N. Security Council meeting on Ukraine as France criticized the Trump administration's record.
- Deputy U.S. ambassador Dan Negrea accused France of feigning moral outrage and pretending to lecture the world about every topic, including human rights.
- The General Assembly voted 144-10 in support of U.N. rights chief Volker Türk, with the U.S. voting 'no.'
- The U.S. walkout reflects not only the more strained relations between President Trump and his French counterpart, but also wider tensions between the U.S. and Europe.
- What sparked the walkout was a social media post from France’s U.N. Mission in Geneva criticizing U.S. opposition to a second term for the U.N. rights chief.
- The French Mission tweeted that the U.S. used to be a beacon of human rights, stating, 'Not anymore. Today, it stands alongside North Korea, Nicaragua, Mali & Russia, isolated.'
U.S. diplomats walked out of a U.N. Security Council meeting on Ukraine during a speech by French representatives criticizing the Trump administration's human rights record. This incident underscores the growing rift between the U.S. and its European allies.1
The walkout was triggered by a social media post from France's U.N. Mission in Geneva, which condemned U.S. opposition to the reappointment of U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk. The General Assembly had voted 144-10 in favor of Türk, with the U.S. among the dissenters.
Deputy U.S. ambassador Dan Negrea accused France of feigning “moral outrage” and lecturing the world on human rights. He emphasized, “Today, I remind them that it is the United States that remains the beacon of liberty for the world.”2
In response, U.S. ambassador Mike Waltz criticized France for supporting “some of the worst human rights abusers” while voting against the U.S. and its allies. The incident reflects not only strained relations between the U.S. and France but also broader tensions between the U.S. and Europe, as the Trump administration's policies continue to draw criticism from traditional allies.
“The walkout was triggered by a social media post from France's U.N. Mission criticizing U.S. opposition to Volker Türk's second term as U.N. rights chief. Deputy U.S. ambassador Dan Negrea accused France of feigning moral outrage, highlighting the strained relations between the U.S. and Europe.”
Global News
