The second term of President Donald Trump features widespread human rights violations and attacks on core governmental pillars, says Human Rights in its World Report 2026.
The report highlights a significant decline in democratic values across the United States. It warns that the current global authoritarian wave presents a serious challenge for this generation of democratic leaders.
Furthermore, rights-respecting democracies must now build strategic alliances. These alliances are necessary to defend fundamental freedoms. They face unprecedented threats from the current administration and global powers.
Relentless Assaults on Fundamental Freedoms
The Trump administration is not only rolling back protections but is also actively dismantling the foundational pillars of United States democracy today. Tanya Greene, the US program director at Human Rights Watch, described the administration’s recent actions as a pervasive assault on rights and freedoms.
Throughout 2025, the government initiated a brutal campaign of immigration raids and mass arrests that terrorised many immigrant communities across the nation. These federal deployments included the summary removal of asylum seekers to third countries as part of a deliberately punitive and harmful effort.
Accountability and Healthcare Under Threat
The administration undertook wide-ranging efforts to undermine government accountability while dismantling civil rights and various essential anti-discrimination protections for American citizens. Civil society groups now face threatening criminal investigations and the potential removal of their charitable tax status for purely political reasons.
Additionally, steep funding cuts to healthcare subsidies have jeopardised access to insurance for millions of people who depend on these vital programs. Experts suggest that stripping insurance from the public will help finance tax cuts for wealthy households and large corporations in America.
Global Diplomacy and Reproductive Rights
Restrictions on abortion care have spread rapidly across states as the administration continues its persistent attacks against Planned Parenthood’s vital healthcare operations. These actions have undermined healthcare access for over one million people and significantly reduced funding for reproductive health programs and critical research. On the global stage, US foreign policy now demonstrates a brazen disregard for international human rights obligations under the current leadership. This represents a sharp turn away from making the promotion of human rights a meaningful focus of United States diplomacy and engagement.
In particular, the Trump administration:
- Abruptly terminated nearly all US foreign aid, including funding that supported human rights defenders, local civil society groups, and life-saving humanitarian assistance.
- Withdrew from multilateral forums central to global human rights protection, including the United Nations Human Rights Council, the World Health Organization, and the Paris Climate Agreement.
- Gutted the US State Department’s institutional capacity on human rights and published a grossly distorted version of the department’s annual report on human rights around the world.
- Escalated hostility toward independent accountability and global justice efforts, including imposing sanctions on International Criminal Court officials, a UN expert, and three leading Palestinian human rights organizations.
- Carried out multiple unlawful lethal military strikes on small boats in the Caribbean and nearby parts of the Pacific Ocean, killing dozens of people.
“This administration’s foreign policy mirrors its domestic assault on rights,” said Sarah Yager, Washington director addressing foreign policy at Human Rights Watch. “The same contempt for the rule of law fueling attacks on rights at home is driving extrajudicial killings at sea that are in brazen defiance of international law.”
Questions and Answers Regarding the HRW Report
Q: What is the main finding of the Human Rights Watch World Report 2026 regarding the US?
The report concludes that the United States is experiencing a dangerous slide toward authoritarianism due to persistent human rights abuses and systemic impunity.
Q: How has the administration handled immigration and asylum seekers during its second term?
The administration initiated brutal raids and mass arrests while summarily removing asylum seekers to third countries under various punitive and harsh measures.
Q: What impact have policy changes had on the American healthcare system recently?
Steep funding cuts to subsidies have stripped millions of people of their insurance to facilitate tax cuts for wealthy households and corporations.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What did Tanya Greene say about the state of US democracy? Tanya Greene stated that the administration is actively dismantling foundational pillars of American democracy while rolling back hard-fought protections from recent decades.
Which countries are included in the World Report 2026?
The 36th edition of the World Report reviews human rights practices across more than 100 countries in a 529-page comprehensive document.
What happened to Venezuelan nationals according to the Human Rights Watch report?
The report highlights the enforced disappearance of Venezuelan nationals to a notorious Salvadoran prison where they were allegedly arbitrarily detained and tortured.
How has US foreign policy changed on the global stage?
US foreign policy has shifted toward a brazen disregard for human rights obligations and away from promoting human rights in international diplomacy