Yesterday, Human Rights Day went uncelebrated by the Trump administration

Seventy-seven years ago, the United Nations General Assembly announced the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Although eight countries abstained, no country voted against it, making the vote unanimous.

As recounted by Heather Cox Richardson, this declaration of principles became the foundation of international human rights law. All members of the United Nations Security Council have ratified at least one of the major international human rights treaties, and four out of five have ratified four or more.

Last year the White House celebrated Human Rights Day by recommitting to “upholding the equal and inalienable rights of all people” and bestowing the Human Rights Defender Award on eight individuals from around the globe. This year the U.S. government did not recognize Human Rights Day.

“There is growing concern…that in 2029 the ICC (International Criminal Court) will turn its attention to the president, to the vice president, to the secretary of war and others, and pursue prosecutions against them,” said a Trump administration official as reported by Humeyra Pamuk of Reuters.

The administration is threatening the ICC and its officials with more sanctions if it won’t pledge not to investigate Trump and his top officials.

https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/december-10-2025