By Jennifer Hansler and Nicole Gaouette,

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo argued against a "proliferation" of human rights Thursday, claiming that "more rights does not necessarily mean more justice." His comments came at the unveiling of the draft report from his long-touted "Commission on Unalienable Rights" Thursday -- an initiative that rights groups and advocacy organizations fear will have damaging effects on human rights abroad and the rights of women and LGBTQ people.

In a speech at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pompeo repeatedly referenced the founders of the United States, calling the Declaration of Independence "the most important statement of human rights ever written." And the top US diplomat appeared to fan the flames of division stoked by President Donald Trump, warning that "the very core of what it means to be an American, indeed the American way of life itself, is under attack" amid nationwide protests for racial justice and against police brutality.

Thursday's draft report caps a year of work from the commission, unveiled by Pompeo last July, whose largely conservative commissioners were tasked with examining the supposed proliferation of rights and refocusing on which should be "honored." The commission would focus on principle, not policy, the State Department said. The public will now have two weeks to comment on it before a final version is released.

Rights not worth defending

Pompeo said the report contains a framework "to ask the right questions, and a basis for thoughtful, rational debate" on human rights.

"Americans have not only unalienable rights, but also positive rights, rights granted by governments, courts, multilateral bodies. Many are worth defending in light of our founding; others aren't," the top US diplomat said. "We are forced to grapple with the tough choices about which rights to promote and how to think about this."