President Donald Trump’s outspoken defense of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi has renewed debate over how dramatically U.S. human rights policy has changed under his leadership. By dismissing U.S. intelligence assessments that link the Saudi royal to the killing, Trump has signaled a clear departure from decades of bipartisan American foreign policy that sought — at least publicly — to uphold global human rights standards.
For years, U.S. administrations have balanced strategic interests with human rights concerns, often partnering with leaders who had questionable records. Analysts say Trump has taken this approach significantly further by openly embracing and praising authoritarian-leaning leaders in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Hungary, China, Turkey, and El Salvador. Rather than pressuring them on human rights, he has adopted a transactional style that prioritizes economic deals, security cooperation, and political alignment.
This shift was on full display when Trump welcomed the Saudi crown prince to the White House with exceptionally warm treatment — highlighting economic ties and bringing him together with prominent American CEOs — even as global scrutiny continued over the Khashoggi killing. Critics argue that such gestures help rehabilitate the international image of powerful leaders accused of severe abuses.
Some observers also point out that Trump has been selective in raising human rights concerns. While overlooking allegations against governments aligned with his administration, he has focused criticism on countries like Brazil and South Africa, whose policies clash ideologically with his. This selective pressure, they argue, further erodes the consistency of U.S. human rights advocacy.
Within the government itself, the shift has been institutional. Under Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the State Department has scaled back its annual human rights report and redirected the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor toward promoting what the administration calls “Western values.” Issues such as gender-based violence and discrimination against LGBTQ communities have received less emphasis — a change justified by officials as a move away from interfering in other countries’ internal affairs.
The White House has strongly rejected the criticism. Spokeswoman Anna Kelly stated that all foreign policy decisions are guided by Trump’s “America First” agenda and insisted that “no one cares more about human rights” than the president.
Still, many former diplomats and analysts believe the U.S. stance has fundamentally shifted. They argue that Trump’s personal rapport with authoritarian leaders, combined with the administration’s policy restructuring, amounts to a repurposing of human rights to fit political priorities at home and abroad.
Overall, Trump’s approach represents one of the most notable departures from traditional U.S. human rights policy in modern times — a shift that, critics warn, could embolden strongmen worldwide and weaken America’s long-standing influence in promoting democratic values.
