Rift deepens as US delegation walks out of UN over French criticism of Trump

Lead

US diplomats walked out of a United Nations Security Council meeting on Monday as their French counterparts were speaking, after Paris criticised the Trump administration's human rights record. The walkout, which took place during a meeting on Ukraine, came days after the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly supported the reappointment of UN human rights chief Volker Turk for another four years, despite opposition from the US.

Coverage Comparison

The walkout was reported by multiple outlets, including Al Jazeera, the Jerusalem Post, RFI, and the South China Morning Post. All accounts agree that the immediate trigger was France's criticism of US human rights stances, delivered in a social media post by France's mission to the United Nations in Geneva. The post, published on Saturday, said the US was no longer a "beacon of human rights" and stood isolated alongside North Korea, Nicaragua, Mali, and Russia.

US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz responded on X, saying France had voted for a rights chief who "has been lecturing free, sovereign democracies like the United States, the UK, and Israel, while cozying up to the world's worst oppressors." After the walkout, Dan Negrea, an alternate US representative, told the council that his delegation would keep walking out until France renounced its "condescending and disrespectful rhetoric."

France's ambassador, Jerome Bonnafont, did not mention the walkout when he spoke, saying France was working to preserve the UN's independence and its capacity to act.

Key Claims

• US diplomats walked out of a UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine as France's delegation took the floor.
• The walkout followed France's criticism of the US human rights record, delivered in a social media post by France's UN mission in Geneva.
• The US voted against the reappointment of UN human rights chief Volker Turk; France supported it. The reappointment was approved by a UN General Assembly vote of 144 in favour, 10 against, and 13 abstentions.
• Dan Negrea, the US representative, said the walkouts will continue until France renounces its "condescending and disrespectful rhetoric."
• The US is considering delaying or blocking France's choice for ambassador to Washington, according to four sources cited by the Jerusalem Post. The sources said no decision had been taken, and two said the French criticism had sparked genuine anger among senior officials in the Trump administration, while two others said officials were hoping to de-escalate tensions.
• Tensions between the US and France are high due to disagreements over NATO, trade policy, and Trump's threats to occupy Greenland, a territory of NATO member Denmark.

Perspectives

United States: The US administration has expressed disappointment with France's rhetoric, with a State Department official saying, "The United States is very disappointed in the irresponsible and disrespectful rhetoric from the French." The US has also opposed the reappointment of Volker Turk, with US Ambassador Mike Waltz accusing Turk of lecturing free democracies while cozying up to oppressors.

France: France has defended its criticism of the US human rights record, with its UN mission in Geneva stating that the US is no longer a "beacon of human rights." France supported Turk's reappointment and has sought to strengthen Europe's military capacity amid tensions with the US.

UN human rights chief Volker Turk: Turk, who has criticised violations of international law by Israel and the US in Palestine and Iran, was reappointed by a UN General Assembly vote of 144 in favour, 10 against, and 13 abstentions.