A Trump-appointed State Department official “tore into” standard UN documents stating that national leaders should oppose racism, nationalism, and xenophobia. According to CNN, deputy assistant secretary for refugees and migration Andrew Veprek not only defended nationalism, he claimed that title for Donald Trump while “softening language” on racism.
Over the last two weeks, Donald Trump has withdrawn the US from the UN Council on Human Rights Council after the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called Trump’s family separation policy "unconscionable." Earlier this week, Trump’s pick to head the International Organization for Migration—which had been led by the United States for 67 years—was soundly rejected after it was revealed that the nominee, Ken Isaacs, had made numerous anti-Muslim statements.
With children in cages and concern about human rights not even on the Trump radar, Veprek made it clear that he doesn’t believe hating people for their race, nation of origin or religion is a problem. And he went beyond defending ‘very fine people,’ to claiming membership in declaring that “millions of Americans” consider themselves nationalists. Including Trump.
But even that wasn’t the most extreme change Veprek made to the UN documents.
Veprek also pushed to soften language about fighting racism and about racism in politics in his proposed amendments to a UN Human Rights Council resolution titled "The Incompatibility between Democracy and Racism" that is adopted without a vote, with much of the same language, every few years.
Veprek argued that it’s not the responsibility of national leaders to speak out against hate speech. And he defended the term xenophobia as being “malleable.” Presumably meaning that what used to be considered irrational hatred and fear of foreigners … is the new normal.
A former State Department official said it was clear that Veprek thought the complaints about racism, nationalism, and xenophobia were “aimed at the Trump administration,” but the documents have actually been in use for several years. It’s just that Trump’s policies so easily fit those terms.
Veprek was moved to his current position in April despite a lack of experience.
Senate Democrats wrote Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on May 1 to say the appointment was "the equivalent of placing a lieutenant colonel into a one-star general position."
But it’s clear that Veprek has all the qualities to represent Trump around the world.