President Donald Trump is once again pulling the United States out of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), citing the group’s anti-American and left-leaning bias.
The Trump administration announced on Tuesday that it would be withdrawing the U.S. from UNESCO, a United Nations agency that purports to be “dedicated to strengthening our shared humanity through the promotion of education, science, culture, and communication.” The decision is in line with the president’s February executive order, which called for a review of continued U.S. membership in international organizations such as UNESCO, and it will take effect by the end of 2026.
“President Trump has decided to withdraw the United States from UNESCO – which supports woke, divisive cultural and social causes that are totally out-of-step with the commonsense policies that Americans voted for in November,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “This President will always put America First and ensure our country’s membership in all international organizations aligns with our national interests.”
The withdrawal follows a months-long internal review ordered by Trump earlier this year to examine whether continued U.S. involvement in the Paris-based organization serves American interests. The review highlighted several red flags, including UNESCO’s support for “woke” initiatives, as well as its anti-Israel and pro-Beijing posture, a White House official told the New York Post.
“I deeply regret President Donald Trump’s decision to once again withdraw the United States of America from UNESCO – a decision that will take effect at the end of December 2026,” Audrey Azoulay, director-general of UNESCO, said in a Tuesday statement. “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.”
The White House official cited several recent UNESCO campaigns, including its 2023 “anti-racism toolkit,” which encourages member nations to undertake “anti-racist” policies and participate in a “race to the top” in social justice advocacy, according to the New York Post. Another initiative, “Transforming MEN’talities,” launched in 2024, aimed to reshape “harmful gender norms” in India.
In addition to its advocacy for left-leaning social policies, UNESCO has been criticized for perpetuating anti-Israel sentiments by describing Palestine as “occupied” and designating Jewish and Christian holy sites as Palestinian World Heritage Sites.
“UNESCO has demonstrated failure to reform itself, has continually demonstrated anti-Israel sentiment over the past decade, and has failed to address concerns over mounting arrears,” the February executive order read.
Additionally, UNESCO has been accused of downplaying the persecution of Uyghur Muslims by the Chinese government. Beijing is one of the largest funders of UNESCO, with Chinese nationals, such as Deputy Director-General Xing Qu, holding key leadership positions within the organization.
“China has leveraged its influence over UNESCO to advance global standards that are favorable to Beijing’s interests,” the White House official told the New York Post.
The U.S. has withdrawn from UNESCO before — under the Reagan administration and Trump’s first term — over concerns about anti-American and anti-Israel bias. Former President Joe Biden reversed Trump’s previous exit and rejoined the organization in October 2023, pledging to repay over $600 million in back dues.
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