US officials and human rights advocates have voiced strong criticism of Washington's decision to skip its scheduled review at the United Nations in Geneva, a move linked to President Donald Trump's withdrawal from several UN bodies. The United States becomes only the second country ever to boycott the Universal Periodic Review, a process all member states are expected to undergo every four to five years. Activists and former officials warn that this absence undermines international human rights norms and damages the country's global leadership on rights issues. Civil society groups, denied the usual review platform, are nonetheless raising concerns about a range of troubling developments in the US, including repression of dissent and militarized crackdowns. Observers caution that the US decision could set a dangerous precedent for other nations.