President Trump withdrew the US from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Tuesday due to the organization not aligning with the country’s “national interest.”
UNESCO, whose mission is to lead “multilateral cooperation on education, science, culture, communication and information,” has 194 member states. The US’s withdrawal as a member state will go into effect in December 2026.
In a memo, the Department of State briefly described the rationale behind the decision, accusing UNESCO of being divisive and at odds with current US foreign policy. Admitting the “State of Palestine” into the organization as a member state was cited as particularly problematic.
“UNESCO works to advance divisive social and cultural causes and maintains an outsized focus on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, a globalist, ideological agenda for international development at odds with our America First foreign policy,” State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce wrote. “UNESCO’s decision to admit the ‘State of Palestine’ as a Member State is highly problematic, contrary to U.S. policy, and contributed to the proliferation of anti-Israel rhetoric within the organization.”
In a statement, the organization expressed regret over the US’s decision, though it was expected. The US withdrew from UNESCO in 2017 during President Trump’s first term.
“This decision contradicts the fundamental principles of multilateralism, and may affect first and foremost our many partners in the United States of America — communities seeking site inscription on the World Heritage List, Creative City status, and University Chairs,” Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO said. “However regrettable, this announcement was anticipated, and UNESCO has prepared for it.”
Moreover, the organization finds the rationale behind the US withdrawal confusing due to “political tensions” receding and the overall state of the organization going through an adjustment. These changes, according to UNESCO, appeal to the US’s reason for withdrawal in 2017, and nullify any reason for the US to withdraw currently.
The departure from UNESCO is part of a trend set by the current presidency to lessen its involvement in international groups that don’t align with its values. On the first day of his second term, President Trump withdrew the US from the World Health Organization.
