America's 153–1 Vote Against Humanitarian Protection and What It Signals for Democracy

America’s 153–1 Vote Against Humanitarian Protection and What It Signals for Democracy

On December 10, 2025, the United States cast the only vote against a UN resolution protecting humanitarian workers—while Russia, North Korea, and 151 other nations voted yes or abstained. The vote came during the deadliest year on record for aid workers, with 383 killed in 2024 and 265 more by August 2025. The Trump administration justified its opposition by citing “radical gender ideology” in the text, reframing humanitarian protection as a culture war issue. This vote crystallizes a broader foreign policy realignment that isolates America from traditional allies while accommodating adversarial powers. As the National Security Strategy abandons great-power competition rhetoric and characterizes European allies in adversarial terms, analysts warn of structural vulnerabilities to foreign influence and the dismantling of oversight mechanisms. The transformation raises urgent questions about whether “America First” policies serve American interests—or something else entirely.

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