UNITED NATIONS (AP) 鈥� U.S. diplomats walked out as their French counterparts were speaking at the United Nations on Monday after criticized the Trump administration’s human rights record.
The surprise move during a U.N. Security Council meeting on Ukraine followed U.S. opposition to giving another four-year term. The reappointment on Friday got overwhelming support, including from France.
The U.S. walkout reflects not only the more between President Donald Trump and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, but also wider . These include questions over Trump’s , possible changes to , and which belongs to NATO member Denmark.
Trump has , who weren’t consulted, did not help the U.S. during the Iran war. Amid the tensions, Macron has taken a lead in trying to build up Europe’s military and as one of the continent’s two nuclear powers, along with Britain.
After Monday鈥檚 brief walkout, deputy U.S. ambassador Dan Negrea accused France of feigning 鈥渕oral outrage鈥� and pretending to lecture the world about every topic, including human rights.
The United States has stood by France in every conflict where its “freedom has been imperiled鈥� and tolerated its grandstanding 鈥渙ut of a sense of camaraderie and mutual respect,鈥� he said, but no more.
What sparked the walkout was a social media post Friday from France鈥檚 U.N. Mission in Geneva criticizing U.S. opposition to a second term for the U.N. rights chief. The General Assembly voted 144-10 with 13 abstentions in support of T眉rk, with the U.S. among the 鈥渘o鈥� votes.
鈥淭he US used to be a beacon of human rights. Not anymore. Today, it stands alongside North Korea, Nicaragua, Mali & Russia, isolated. And the world no longer listens to it,鈥� the French Mission tweeted.
Mike Waltz, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., in responding on X, accused France of coddling 鈥漵ome of the worst human rights abusers鈥� and voting 鈥渇or someone who has been lecturing, free, sovereign democracies like the United States, the UK, and Israel, while cozying up to the world鈥檚 worst oppressors.鈥�
T眉rk鈥檚 job as the U.N. rights chief, by its nature, is tricky: It requires speaking out against rights violations by the governments of the countries that make up the membership of the world body.
For instance, T眉rk has sharply criticized and Israel鈥檚 war in Gaza as well as having urged before the World Cup, citing issues around 鈥渞acial profiling, surveillance and immigration enforcement.鈥�
At Monday鈥檚 meeting, Negrea drilled in on France.
鈥淭oday, I remind them that it is the United States that remains the beacon of liberty for the world,鈥� he said. 鈥淎s such, we will not be affording them the benefit of listening to their politicized drivel until they renounce their condescending and disrespectful rhetoric and behave in a manner commensurate with their seat on this council.鈥�
France鈥檚 U.N. Ambassador Jerome Bonnafont never mentioned the walkout when asked to take the floor at the end of the council meeting to respond.
Instead, he noted that France 鈥� which helped the United States gain its independence 鈥� took part in the July 4 celebration of America鈥檚 250th anniversary.
鈥淭he United Nations was created with the goal of working towards international peace and security, human rights and development,鈥� he said. 鈥淎ll of that forms the spirit in which France works within the United Nations 鈥� to preserve this institution, its independence, its ability to act in service of the charter and act to serve human rights and peace.鈥�
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