The United States on Tuesday became the first country to boycott its Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council, leaving its seat empty in Geneva and prompting the body to postpone the session until January 2027.

This marks the second consecutive year the Trump administration has declined to participate in the process, which requires all 193 UN member states to submit to peer review of their human rights records every four to five years. Even nations with poor human rights records have historically sent delegations.

The State Department said participation would lend credibility to an institution it views as irredeemable. A spokesperson stated that the council makes a mockery of human rights through consistent failures to uphold its own values while pushing anti-American rhetoric and showing a persistent failure to condemn the most egregious violators.

The United States formally withdrew from the 47-member council in February 2025, citing systemic anti-Israel and anti-American bias. The review process continues independently of council membership, but US officials have made clear they reject any implication of endorsement.

Critics from human rights organizations argued the move sets a damaging precedent and prevents scrutiny of US policies on immigration, abortion, and the death penalty. The council had prepared questions on those topics.

Supporters of the administration's stance point to the council's long record of disproportionate focus on Israel and Western democracies while shielding authoritarian regimes. The decision aligns with broader US efforts to disengage from multilateral bodies perceived as ineffective or hostile to American interests.

The postponement leaves the US record unexamined for now, underscoring Washington's determination to reject what it sees as politicized oversight from Geneva.