U.S. diplomats walked out of a U.N. Security Council meeting Monday as France's ambassador began speaking, capping days of public sparring between the longtime allies over America's vote against a second term for the U.N.'s human rights chief.
The walkout came during a council session on Russia's war in Ukraine. Dan Negrea, an alternate U.S. representative to the U.N., left as French Ambassador Jérôme Bonnafont took the floor, later telling the council the U.S. would not sit through what he called France's "politicized drivel" until Paris changed its tone.
The dispute traces back to Friday, when the General Assembly voted 144-10, with 13 abstentions, to give High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk a second four-year term. The U.S. was among the 10 "no" votes, joined by Russia, North Korea, Nicaragua and Mali.
France's U.N. mission in Geneva posted on social media Saturday that the United States was no longer a "beacon of human rights" and now stood isolated alongside those same governments. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz fired back on X, accusing France of backing a rights chief who lectures democracies like the U.S., the U.K. and Israel while going easy on authoritarian states.
The Trump administration has argued Türk has been too critical of the U.S. and Israel and not tough enough on autocracies. Among the flash-points: Türk's criticism of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Israel's conduct in Gaza, and his call for a broad reassessment of U.S. immigration enforcement over concerns about racial profiling and surveillance.
Bonnafont did not address the walkout directly when he later addressed the council, instead pointing to France's historical ties to the U.S. and its role in July 4 celebrations marking America's 250th anniversary.
A U.N. spokesperson declined to comment on the walkout but said the world body expects member states to respect decisions reached by the General Assembly.
Analysts and diplomats say the clash reflects deeper strain between President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron, as well as broader tensions between Washington and European allies over NATO commitments and U.S. troop posture abroad.