The State Department released its annual human rights report today.

But unlike years past, this edition has come under scrutiny for what it's not reporting

about many issues and countries with poor human rights records.

Nick Schifrin is here now to discuss the report and to look forward to this active week

of renewed Trump diplomacy with Russia.

Good to see you, Nick. Thanks, Alma.

Let's talk about this report. What is different in this year's report from years past?

The report removes standalone sections on women's rights, LGBTQ rights, and discrimination on racial or ethnic lines.

It strengthens criticisms of countries that Trump and his administration have classed with

diplomatically and weakens criticism of some of the administration's allies. So let's take

one example, El Salvador, which, of course, as you know, well, is the strongest regional

immigration partner for the United States. Last year's report, the last one written by the Biden administration,

reads in part, quote, significant human rights issues included credible reports of unlawful or

arbitrary killings and forced disappearance, torture or cruel inhuman or degrading treatment or

punishment by security forces, harsh and life-threatening prison conditions, arbitrary arrest and

detention.

That paragraph actually goes on for double that length in the last Biden administration report.

It has been replaced by this sentence.

There were no credible reports of significant human rights abuses, quote, unquote.

So that's the kind of change that you see.

Today, Tammy Bruce, the State Department spokesman,

was asked specifically about the El Salvador report. She didn't engage with the text, but said this

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