Trump confirms UNESCO withdrawal over cultural and political disputes, emphasizing America First diplomacy approach.Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
White House defends UNESCO withdrawal as necessary to protect American values on global platforms.
President Donald Trump has officially confirmed the UNESCO withdrawal, announcing the United States will exit the United Nations’ educational, scientific, and cultural agency.
The president argued that the organization “supports woke, divisive cultural and social causes” that run counter to American values.
This move reverses President Joe Biden’s decision in 2023 to rejoin the agency, reinstating a key foreign policy position from Trump’s first term.
“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 common sense policies that Americans voted for in November,” White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly said.
“This president will always put America First and ensure our country’s membership in all international organizations aligns with our national interests.”
UNESCO Withdrawal Reflects Trump’s Broader Foreign Policy Objectives
The decision was first reported by the New York Post. It comes after Trump ordered a 90-day review of U.S. participation in UNESCO back in February.
According to officials, that review specifically requested “an analysis of any anti-Semitism or anti-Israel sentiment within the organization.”
Trump’s administration had previously announced a similar UNESCO withdrawal in 2017, citing a perceived anti-Israel bias. American funding to the organization had already been suspended during the Obama administration after UNESCO voted to admit Palestine as a full member state in 2011.
The Reagan administration also withdrew from UNESCO, only for President George W. Bush to rejoin two decades later.
America First Policy Drives Renewed UNESCO Withdrawal Decision
More recently, the Biden administration in January 2024 suspended funding for the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees following Israeli accusations that some agency employees were linked to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks.
These developments have further strained U.S. relations with certain U.N. bodies.
The UNESCO withdrawal also coincides with confirmation hearings for Mike Waltz, Trump’s nominee for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
The president and his advisers have repeatedly criticized the U.N., particularly over its handling of the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
UNESCO’s Role and Continued Criticism from US Officials
UNESCO, headquartered in Paris, states its mission is to promote “cooperation in education, science, culture and communication to foster peace worldwide.”
The organization’s website claims ongoing efforts to combat antisemitism and promote education on the Holocaust and genocide. UNESCO also manages funds such as the World Heritage Fund and the International Fund for Cultural Diversity.
The Trump administration has remained critical of global organizations perceived as advancing ideological agendas. Alongside the UNESCO withdrawal, the U.S. has also withdrawn from the World Health Organization, aligning these decisions with Trump’s broader America First strategy.
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According to a BBC report, these actions reflect Trump’s continued skepticism toward global agreements and institutions that do not directly serve U.S. national interests.
