While human rights have been a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy since World War II, have they now been supplanted by pragmatic realism?
Special Edition: Human Rights
August 20, 2025
Since the Second World War, international human rights advocacy has been a pillar of US foreign policy and a means of undermining its autocratic adversaries. In contrast, the Trump administration has expressed a strong commitment to putting America first and making it great again. What does this mean for human rights advocacy around the world?
Recently, The National Interest hosted a symposium to discuss this topic. We asked a variety of experts from academia, journalism, and the think tank space about how the Trump administration is and might approach the issue of human rights in the twenty-first century. Will it ignore such questions entirely? Will it engage with them selectively? Does the administration, in fact, have its own unique vision? Read all of the pieces here.
How to Prioritize Freeing China’s Political Prisoners
by Olivia Enos
The administrative machinery for political prisoner advocacy around the world is not as robust as one might expect. Read it here.
An America First Human Rights Agenda
by Nile Gardiner
Compromised international institutions cannot advance human rights. Instead, President Trump is focused on strengthening Western values among close allies. Read it here.
Donald Trump, Liberator-in-Chief
by Brandon J. Weichert
President Donald Trump has compiled a clear and consistent record of supporting the liberation of American hostages everywhere. Read it here.
Human Rights: Back to the Future?
by Nikolas Gvosdev
In many ways, the place of human rights in US foreign policy is simply returning to its pre-World War II norm. Read it here.
Ukraine’s Fight for Religious Liberty
by Melinda Haring
Russia’s onslaught on Ukraine has a definite and unavoidable sectarian dimension. Read it here.
