The Trump administration has overhauled America’s flagship Human Rights Report, softening or erasing criticism of close allies such as Israel and El Salvador while amplifying attacks on countries it clashes with, including Europe, Brazil, and South Africa. Rights groups say the changes mark a dramatic departure from decades of U.S. policy, raising concerns about selective standards and political favoritism.
Report Rewritten to Favor Allies
The 2025 edition of the State Department’s Human Rights Report was delayed for months as Trump appointees rewrote sections, discarding earlier drafts. Whole passages on abuses in Israel and El Salvador were cut, while new categories such as “Life,” “Liberty,” and “Security of the Person” were introduced to align with Trump’s “America First” values.
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Israel Section Stripped Down
Compared to 2024, the report’s section on Israel was significantly shorter and omitted mention of Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, where more than 61,000 people have died since Israel’s 2023 military operations following Hamas’s attack. The omission drew sharp criticism from rights advocates who accused Washington of downplaying mass civilian casualties.
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El Salvador Praised Despite Abuses
Last year’s report highlighted credible allegations of torture, unlawful killings, and brutal prison conditions in El Salvador. But the 2025 version stated: “There were no credible reports of significant human rights abuses.” The shift comes as U.S. ties with President Nayib Bukele have strengthened, with Washington funding $6 million for his mega-prison that houses deportees from the U.S.
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Europe Put on Notice
In contrast, Europe faced stinging criticism. The U.S. accused the UK, Germany, France, and Romania of suppressing right-wing voices and curbing free speech. Britain was specifically called out for antisemitic violence, protest restrictions around abortion clinics, and government “interventions to chill speech” online.
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Brazil and South Africa Targeted
Brazil was accused of democratic backsliding, with Washington condemning its courts for silencing supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro, who faces trial for conspiring to overturn his 2022 election loss. South Africa was charged with worsening discrimination against white Afrikaners, particularly through land expropriation, claims its government blasted as “inaccurate and deeply flawed.”
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Rubio’s Bureau Overhaul
The changes followed a purge inside the State Department, where hundreds of staff, particularly from the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, were fired. Secretary of State Marco Rubio argued the bureau had been hijacked by “leftwing activists” and vowed to reorient it around “western values.”
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Longstanding Policy Shift
For decades, the annual report guided global advocacy efforts and shaped U.S. diplomacy. Under Trump, however, critics argue it has become a tool of selective enforcement, praising friendly governments while weaponizing rights rhetoric against adversaries. The administration has openly rejected the traditional U.S. role of promoting democracy abroad, calling it interference in other nations’ affairs.