(CNN)The way in which America -- for years a self-proclaimed role model for human rights -- projects its values to the rest of the world has real, tangible effects on the global stage. In the age of Donald Trump, the US State Department has turned its back on the fight against racism and xenophobia. Even worse, the agency seeks to remove anti-racist language from international documents. The US government has a racism issue, and it is a dangerous problem with international implications.

In a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, six House Democrats said they are "extremely alarmed" the administration has remained silent regarding racism and xenophobia in international fora and has not condemned hate speech and incitement. They also noted that Andrew Veprek, the deputy assistant secretary for refugees and migration, rejected the notion that leaders have a "duty to condemn hate speech and incitement," and, according to a report by CNN, Veprek sought changes to UN human rights documents that denounce racism as a threat to democracy.

"The drafters say 'populism and nationalism' as if these are dirty words," Veprek wrote of one document. "There are millions of Americans who likely would describe themselves as adhering to these concepts. (Maybe even the President.) So are we looking to here condemn our fellow-citizens, those who pay our salaries?"

Further, Veprek took issue with language in a UN Human Rights Council resolution, which said national leaders have a duty to condemn hate speech. Veprek insisted that "'duty to condemn' goes too far. Our public figures can't be obliged to police every intolerant thought out their (sic) at the risk of being condemned for intolerance themselves."