US to Soften Human Rights Reports on Key Allies

Leaked drafts of the U.S. State Department's annual human rights reports indicate that the Trump administration is significantly reducing criticism of El Salvador, Israel, and Russia compared to previous reports under President Biden. The new drafts are notably shorter, omitting references to LGBTQ+ rights, government corruption, and gender-based crimes, and softening descriptions of government abuses. Serious issues such as prison violence and corruption are downplayed relative to previous years. A State Department official said the restructuring is intended to remove redundancies and align with legislative mandates, but critics claim it represents an effort to minimize accountability for U.S. allies. The reports have not yet been officially released, and the State Department has declined to comment on the leaked drafts.