The United States delegation walked out of a United Nations Security Council meeting on Monday in protest as Frances ambassador was speaking, dramatically escalating a diplomatic dispute triggered by Washingtons vote against extending the term of the UN human rights chief.
The walkout came while French ambassador Jerome Bonnafont was addressing an emergency Security Council session on Russias war in Ukraine. US ambassador Dan Negrea said the delegation would continue to make similar protests until France renounces its condescending and disrespectful rhetoric.
The row was sparked last week when the United States joined Russia and North Korea in voting against extending Volker Turks term as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The vote passed overwhelmingly with 144 states in favour, 10 against and 13 abstentions.
After the vote, Frances UN mission posted on social media that the US used to be a beacon of human rights but is no longer, drawing a direct comparison between Washington and authoritarian states. The post triggered a furious response from US officials.
US ambassador Mike Waltz accused France of voting for a human rights chief who had been lecturing democratic countries while cozying up to the worlds worst oppressors. Turk has criticised Russias war in Ukraine and Israels military conduct in Gaza during his tenure.
The walkout at the Security Council represents a significant deterioration in US-France diplomatic relations, two of NATOs closest allies. The incident took place during a meeting called to discuss the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, adding a layer of awkwardness to an already tense session.
A senior US diplomat told the BBC that the walkout was a deliberate signal that Washington would not tolerate being lectured by allies at multilateral forums. The Trump administration has taken an increasingly confrontational approach toward the United Nations, cutting funding for agencies and withdrawing from dozens of UN entities.
On Friday, US ambassador Jeff Bartos warned there would be consequences following Turks reappointment, saying the United States would immediately reassess its engagement, participation and funding of UN bodies he accused of procedural overreach and backroom deals.
French ambassador Bonnafont, in contrast, described Turk as a voice of conscience who demonstrated rigor and impartiality during his first term. He made no effort to soften Frances criticism of the US position during the Security Council session.
Deputy UN spokesperson Farhan Haq declined to comment on the US walkout, saying the UN expected all member states to respect the decisions of the General Assembly. He did not directly address the diplomatic incident.
The confrontation comes at a delicate moment for transatlantic relations, with European allies already struggling to navigate the Trump administrations divergent approach to multilateralism, trade tariffs, and security commitments. Diplomats from other European nations expressed concern that the public rift could complicate coordination on Ukraine policy and broader security issues.
Diplomatic observers noted that the walkout was highly unusual for a formal Security Council session, where norms of diplomatic courtesy are typically observed even between adversaries. Frances decision to publicly call out the US vote appears to have broken an unwritten rule of not directly embarrassing allies in multilateral settings.
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