US Walks Out on France at UN Security Council Over Human Rights Vote July 28

The US delegation walked out of a UN Security Council meeting on Monday in protest after France compared Washington’s human rights voting record to that of North Korea and Russia. The diplomatic flare-up erupted after the US joined Russia and North Korea on Friday in voting against extending Volker Turk’s four-year term as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The General Assembly voted 144-10 with 13 abstentions to reappoint Turk, who has criticised Russia’s war in Ukraine and Israel’s military conduct in Gaza. The walkout signals escalating tensions between the Trump administration and the United Nations.

Why the US voted against Turk’s reappointment

US Ambassador Jeff Bartos said on Friday that Turk’s reappointment would have consequences and accused the assembly of tolerating “procedural overreach, backroom deals, and the misuse of UN posts.” The United States announced it would immediately reassess its engagement, participation, and funding of UN entities. US Ambassador Mike Waltz accused France of backing a rights chief who had been “lecturing” democratic countries like the US and Israel while “cozying up to the world’s worst oppressors.”

France’s social media attack and the walkout

After Friday’s vote, France’s UN Mission posted on X that the US “used to be a beacon of human rights. Not anymore,” and said Washington stood isolated alongside North Korea, Nicaragua, Mali and Russia. On Monday, US diplomats walked out while France’s Ambassador Jerome Bonnafont was speaking during an emergency Security Council meeting on Ukraine. Deputy US Ambassador Dan Negrea said the delegation would continue walking out until France renounced its “condescending and disrespectful rhetoric.”

Broader US-UN tensions under Trump

The Trump administration has cut funding for UN agencies and withdrawn from dozens of UN entities since 2025. The fight over Turk’s term reflects deepening strains between Washington and the United Nations. Tensions between the US and France extend beyond the UN, including disagreements over NATO spending, trade policy, and Trump’s threats to occupy Greenland, a territory of NATO member Denmark.

What Turk’s reappointment means

Turk, a vocal critic of international law violations, has condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Israel’s military operations in Gaza. He has also called for investigations into deaths in US immigration custody. French Ambassador Jerome Bonnafont defended Turk as “a voice of conscience” who demonstrated “rigor and impartiality” during his first term. Turk will serve another four years as the UN’s top human rights official.

Final Thoughts

The US walkout marks a rare public breach between two permanent Security Council members and signals the Trump administration’s willingness to confront allies over UN policy. With funding cuts already underway, the dispute suggests further US disengagement from UN institutions.

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