Will Human Rights Survive a Trumpian World?

Authoritarian Advances Threaten Rules-Based Order

The global human rights system is in peril. Under relentless pressure from US President Donald Trump, and persistently undermined by China and Russia, the rules-based international order is being crushed, threatening to take with it the architecture human rights defenders have come to rely on to advance norms and protect freedoms. To defy this trend, governments that still value human rights, alongside social movements, civil society, and international institutions, need to form a strategic alliance to push back.

To be fair, the downward spiral predated Trump’s reelection. The democratic wave that began over 50 years ago has given way to what scholars term a “democratic recession.” Democracy is now back to 1985 levels according to some metrics, with 72 percent of the world’s population now living under autocracy. Russia and China are less free today than 20 years ago. And so is the United States.

Of course, democracy is not a panacea for human rights violations; the US and other longtime democracies have their own histories of colonial crimes, racism, abusive justice systems, and wartime atrocities. More recently, authoritarian leaders have exploited public mistrust and anger to win elections and then dismantled the very institutions that brought them to power. Democratic institutions are crucial to represent the will of the people and keep power in check. It’s no surprise that whenever democracy is undermined, rights are too, as evident in recent years in India, Türkiye, the Philippines, El Salvador, and Hungary.

In this context, 2025 may be seen as a tipping point. In just 12 months, the Trump administration has carried out a broad assault on key pillars of US democracy and the global rules-based order, which the US, despite inconsistencies, was, with other states, instrumental in helping to establish.

In short order, Trump’s second-term administration has undermined trust in the sanctity of elections, reduced government accountability, gutted food assistance and healthcare subsidies, attacked judicial independence, defied court orders, rolled back women’s rights, obstructed access to abortion care, undermined remedies for racial harm, terminated programs mandating accessibility for people with disabilities, punished free speech, stripped protections from trans and intersex people, eroded privacy, and used government power to intimidate political opponents, the media, law firms, universities, civil society, and even comedians.

Claiming a risk of “civilizational erasure” in Europe and leaning on racist tropes to cast entire populations as unwelcome in the US, the Trump administration has embraced policies and rhetoric that align with white nationalist ideology. Immigrants and asylum seekers have been subjected to inhumane conditions and degrading treatment; 32 died in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody in 2025, and as of mid-January 2026, an additional 4 have died. Masked immigration enforcement agents have targeted people of color, using excessive force, terrorizing communities, wrongfully arresting scores of citizens, and, most recently, unjustifiably killing two people in Minneapolis, whose deaths Human Rights Watch has documented.

The US president of course has the authority to tighten US borders and enforce stricter immigration policies. The administration is not, however, entitled to deny legal process to asylum seekers, mistreat undocumented migrants, or unlawfully discriminate. In a well-functioning democracy, no electoral mandate should supersede domestic legislation, constitutional protections, or international human rights law. Trump’s team has repeatedly bypassed these guardrails.

The violations have not stopped at the border. The Trump administration used a 1798 law to send hundreds of Venezuelan migrants to an infamous prison in El Salvador, where they were tortured and sexually abused. Its blatantly unlawful strikes on boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific extrajudicially killed more than 120 people whom Trump claims were drug traffickers.

After the US attacked Venezuela and apprehended its president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, Trump claimed the US would “run” the country and control its vast oil reserves. Despite paying lip service to human rights concerns under Maduro at the United Nations, Trump has worked with the same repressive apparatus to further US interests. Many Western allies have chosen to stay silent about these lawless moves, perhaps fearing erratic tariffs and blowback to their alliances.

Trump’s foreign policy has upended the foundations of the rules-based order that seeks to advance democracy and human rights, even if imperfectly.

Trump has boasted that he doesn’t “need international law” as a constraint, only his “own morality.” His administration has politicized the US State Department’s annual human rights report, stepped away from the global prohibition on antipersonnel landmines, voiced support for rewriting international rules on asylum, and skipped the UN’s Universal Periodic Review of the US’ human rights record.

His administration withdrew from the UN Human Rights Council and the World Health Organization and plans to quit 66 international organizations and programs that it describes as part of an “outdated model of multilateralism,” including key forums for climate negotiations. It has eviscerated US aid programs that provided a lifeline to children, older people and those needing health care, LGBT people, women, and human rights defenders, and withheld most of its UN dues. 

Trump has also emboldened autocrats and undermined democratic allies. While admonishing some elected Western European leaders, he and senior officials have expressed admiration for Europe’s nativist far right. He has favored autocrats such as Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, while continuing decades of US support to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

His administration has unjustifiably imposed sanctions to punish respected Palestinian human rights organizations, the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) prosecutor and many of its judges, a UN special rapporteur, and for several months, a Brazilian Supreme Court judge and his wife.

The institutional response in the US to Trump’s power grabs has been shockingly muted. Much of Congress, controlled by his own party, has not challenged his supercharged expansion of executive power. The leaders of the US’ most powerful technology companies have made significant donations and sought to placate the president. Some big law firms and prestigious universities have made deals rather than assert their independence, and some media organizations seem afraid to attract the president’s ire.

Has the US switched sides on the human rights playing field? While US engagement with human rights institutions has always been selective, China and Russia have long pursued an illiberal agenda. They stand much to gain from a US government that now expresses open hostility to universal rights. China and Russia remain strategic rivals of the US, but all three countries are now led by leaders who share open disdain for norms and institutions that could constrain their power.

Together, they wield considerable economic, military, and diplomatic power. If they were to consistently act as allies of convenience to erode global rules, they could threaten the entire system. Already, a loose international network of countries such as North Korea, Iran, Venezuela, Myanmar, Cuba, and Belarus work in concert with Russia and China. These leaders share very little ideologically but align in undermining human rights and promoting a regressive international agenda. In word and in practice, the US government is now helping them in this endeavor.

The US’ weakening of multilateral institutions also dealt a serious blow to global efforts to prevent or stop grave international crimes. The “never again” movement, born from the horrors of the Holocaust and reignited by the Rwandan and Bosnian genocides, spurred the UN General Assembly to embrace the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) in 2005. Meant to guide international intervention to prevent and stop atrocities in tandem with efforts to prosecute and punish serious crimes, R2P made a real difference in places like the Central African Republic and Kenya.

Today, R2P is rarely invoked and the ICC is under siege. In addition to Trump’s far-reaching sanctions, in December 2025 a Moscow court sentenced the ICC prosecutor and eight of its judges to prison terms in absentia. Moreover, despite being ICC fugitives, in 2025, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin was welcomed by Donald Trump in Alaska, and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to Hungary, an ICC member state at the time, at Orban’s invitation.

Twenty years ago, the US government and civil society were instrumental in galvanizing a response to mass atrocities in Darfur. Sudan is burning again, but this time under Trump, with relative impunity. Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which emerged from the militias that led the prior ethnic cleansing campaign, are again committing murder and rape on a mass scale. A growing body of evidence indicates that the UAE, a longtime US ally that recently made multi-billion-dollar deals with Trump, is providing the RSF with military support.

In the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the Israeli armed forces have committed acts of genocide, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity, killing over 70,000 people since the October 2023 Hamas-led attacks on Israel and displacing the vast majority of Gaza’s population. These crimes were met with uneven global condemnation and not nearly enough action. Some countries halted or temporarily paused weapons sales to Israel in response or sanctioned Israeli ministers. Trump, however, continued a long-standing US policy of almost unconditional support to Israel, even as the International Court of Justice is weighing allegations of genocide and has issued binding orders under the Genocide Convention to protect Palestinians’ rights.

Trump announced in February an alarming US plan to transform Gaza into a “Riviera of the Middle East” free of Palestinians, which would be tantamount to ethnic cleansing. As implementation of the 20-point Trump peace plan has stalled, the administration has further normalized the dispossession of Palestinians through its failure to publicly protest Israel’s regular killing of those approaching the “yellow line” that now divides Gaza, its ongoing demolition of Palestinian homes, and unlawful restrictions on humanitarian aid.

In Ukraine, Trump’s peace efforts have consistently downplayed Russia’s responsibility for serious violations. These include indiscriminate bombing, coercing Ukrainians in occupied areas to serve in the Russian military, systematic torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war, the abduction and deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia, and the use of quadcopter drones to hunt and kill civilians. Rather than applying meaningful pressure on Putin to end these crimes, Trump publicly berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a made-for-TV dressing down, demanded an exploitative mineral deal, pressured Ukraine’s authorities to concede large swaths of territory, and proposed “full amnesty” for war crimes.

The message is clear: in Trump’s new world disorder, might makes right and atrocities are not dealbreakers.

클립몸매 ♡ㅜㅑ 깨밥이へ오조은15,902. 현 문서의 영어 단어 글래머 를 참고하면 알 수 있듯, 영어 단어 glamour는 몸매 혹은 그러한 몸매를 가진 사람을 지칭하지 않기 때문이다. 배우 오지은이 숨겨놓은 s라인을 공개했다. 미연시 원래 잘됫는데 민교까지해서 더 잘되서 양유정말고 나갈사람이없어 케이가 그렇게 잘해주고 풍을 그렇게 잘받는데 다들.

여자방귀사이트

유명 유튜버 감스트 본명 김인직, 34세와 뚜밥 본명 오조은, 27세이 결별했다는 소식이 알려지며 많은 팬들의 아쉬움을 자아내고 있습니다.. 신체 키 162cm 몸무게 60kg 혈액형 a형이고 학교 학력은 대구인지초등학교, 산격중학교, 신명고등학교, 계명대학교 전자공학 학사이다..

여왕 히토미

오나홀 항공편기

27 1718 비제이 모바일로 박틸다 보는데. 21 1336 스타 열심히하고 이쁨 그러면 끝이지 거기다 방송감까지 있는 애들이 얼마나 있다고 1, 진짜 너무예쁘고 너무 섹시한데 레제느낌이 아니야 레제 따라갈려면 한참 멀었다 난 금화 승.

셀카를 잘안찍어서 업로드를 안했숨니다ㅜㅜ. 03 0054 와 방금 한갱글보고 탁재훈 유툽 첨 쳐봤는데. 엑스포츠뉴스 김유진 기자 bj 감스트본명 김인직와 뚜밥오조은이 결혼을 3개월 앞두고 결별을 알렸다.

영서 논란

21 1336 스타 열심히하고 이쁨 그러면 끝이지 거기다 방송감까지 있는 애들이 얼마나 있다고 1. 방제에 클립금지 이런건 없었어 2025, 까망이 몸매보고 꼬추 선 박진우와 놀라는 팡린이.

옛 지인 만나는 꿈 조 오조은이지 히댕 수술전이어도 객관적 외모력만 보면 오조은임. 씨나인이 대학대전 3만못찍는거 역사상첨인거같은데2. 뚜밥 프로필 뚜밥은 본명 오조은, 1997년 1월 3일 생으로 2024년 기준 나이 27세로 고향은 대구광역시 출신이다. 몸매 피티샵 부유방 너므시렁 ㅋㅋ 가슴운동 열심히 하니까 거기가 빠진다기보다 라인이 정리되면서 한결 조은거같아요 나ㅜ가슴운동 죠아하네. 까망이 몸매보고 꼬추 선 박진우와 놀라는 팡린이. 역 ntr 뜻

여친 조임 디시 까망이 몸매보고 꼬추 선 박진우와 놀라는 팡린이. 몸매 피티샵 부유방 너므시렁 ㅋㅋ 가슴운동 열심히 하니까 거기가 빠진다기보다 라인이 정리되면서 한결 조은거같아요 나ㅜ가슴운동 죠아하네. 03 0054 와 방금 한갱글보고 탁재훈 유툽 첨 쳐봤는데. 오지은 프로필 출생 1981년 12월 30일 오지은 나이 37세 검색하다보면 어떤 장면인지 궁금해하는 사람들이 많은데 가난한 집안 출신이면서 우연히 최고급 레스토랑 매니저로 일하게 된 역할로 엄청나게 비싼 와인은 어떤 맛일까라고 궁금해하면서 하는 행동이다. 02 1611 멜리꾸롱 일단 귀여움 ㅋㅋ 주양이도 진짜 대표 슬렌더. 예쁘게 생겼다 디시

연예인 유두 노출 동시간때 남자쌤이랑 붙어버리면, 이길수가 없더라구요. 피부도 좋고 상당히 매력적인 몸매다 2025. 클립몸매 ♡ㅜㅑ 깨밥이へ오조은15,902. Com › 91뚜밥 비키니 나이 본명 프로필 인스타 감스트의 그녀. 공개된 영상에서 뚜밥은 제가 6월에 결혼한다. 여자 아이돌 야짤

예삐 트위터 네이버 블로그 연예이슈 345개의 글 목록열기. 26 1806 아스피린소년 오지은 수숳한 가슴인데 끌어모은 빅슴가라니 ㅋㅋ 공부좀 더하세요 감성세포 2015. 유튜버 감스트, 뚜밥과 재결합 열흘만에 결별. Com › board › soop점중 우리 엑셀은 몸매적인 부분에서 다 엄청커 soop 숲 와이. 뚜밥 프로필 본명 오조은 나이 뚜밥 나이는 26세 입니다.

여권 서명 정자 디시 21 1336 스타 열심히하고 이쁨 그러면 끝이지 거기다 방송감까지 있는 애들이 얼마나 있다고 1. 그가 직접 이름을 밝히거나 얼굴을 공개한 적은 없으나 일부 온라인 커뮤니티를 중심으로 그의 얼굴 공. 대한민국 의 치어리더 겸 인터넷 방송인. 현 문서의 영어 단어 글래머 를 참고하면 알 수 있듯, 영어 단어 glamour는 몸매 혹은 그러한 몸매를 가진 사람을 지칭하지 않기 때문이다. 그럴때마다 질투심이 스물스물 올라오기도 하더라구요 ㅎㅎ 저만.

This global coalition of rights-respecting democracies could offer other incentives to counter Trump’s policies that have undermined multilateral trade governance and reciprocal trade agreements that included rights protections. Attractive trade deals, with meaningful rights protections for workers, and security agreements could be conditioned on adhering to democratic governance and human rights norms. Democracy already comes with benefits. While autocracies have generally fostered conflict, economic stagnation, or kleptocracy, as evidenced in multiple academic studies, including the work of the Nobel Prize-winning economist Daron Acemoglu, democratic institutions reliably yield economic growth. 

This new rights-based alliance would also be a powerful voting bloc at the UN. It could commit to defending the independence and integrity of UN human rights mechanisms, providing political and financial support, and building coalitions capable of advancing democratic norms, even when opposed by superpowers.

Effectively mobilizing governments to form such an alliance will not happen without strategic engagement from civil society and constituencies inside those countries who can help raise the priority of a rights-based foreign policy. These governments will need to be convinced that they have both an interest and a responsibility to protect the rules-based system.

Projects of this nature are bubbling up. Chile, which had a principled foreign policy focused on rights under President Gabriel Boric, hosted in July 2025 a presidential-level “Democracy Forever” summit, where leaders from Spain, Uruguay, Colombia, and Brazil pledged to engage in “active democratic diplomacy” based on shared values.

The Hague Group, led by Malaysia, South Africa, and Colombia, formed in January 2025 in “defense of international law” and in solidarity with Palestinians. Over 70 countries from all regions signed a joint statement defending multilateralism at the UN. Earlier, in 2017, former Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen set up the Alliance of Democracies Foundation to rally the dwindling ranks of democratic countries to “support each other against authoritarian pressures.”

Whatever its precise contours, an alliance of rights-respecting democracies would offer a hopeful counterpoint to the authoritarian trope of China’s and Russia’s leaders standing alongside North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, observing military hardware in a parade in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square in September. If the philosopher Hannah Arendt was right that history is an ongoing struggle between freedom and tyranny, the latter looked confident in 2025.

Yet, even in the worst of times, the idea of freedom and human rights is enduring. People power remains an engine for change. In the US, “No Kings” marches have drawn millions, protesters in Chicago, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, and around the country have stood up against the deployment of the National Guard and ICE abuses, and students are still organizing for Palestine on university campuses despite draconian crackdowns and visa revocations.

Buoyed by popular resistance, South Korean parliamentarians impeached their president to prevent him from grabbing power through martial law. Grassroots aid efforts by Sudan’s emergency response rooms, Hong Kong’s fire relief, Sri Lanka’s cyclone relief community kitchens, and Ukrainian mutual aid and solidarity collectives represent the best of this trend.

In 2025, Gen Z protests against corruption, inadequate public services, and poor governance in Nepal, Indonesia, and Morocco brought to the forefront the need for governments to listen to their youth and tackle corruption and inequality. But as the difficulties of restoring rights in Bangladesh after years under an authoritarian government illustrates, gains won through public mobilization can easily be lost unless democratic participation and free expression remain unassailable.