A look at how the Trump administration is changing America's focus on human rights

By Michele Kelemen

Published August 14, 2025 at 3:07 PM PDT

Activists and former officials are alarmed by the way the Trump administration is changing the way the U.S. promotes human rights around the world.

Michele Kelemen

Michele Kelemen has been with NPR for two decades, starting as NPR's Moscow bureau chief and now covering the State Department and Washington's diplomatic corps. Her reports can be heard on all NPR News programs, including Morning Edition and All Things Considered.

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