Trump Orders US Exit from 66 Global Organizations, Including UN Bodies

President Donald Trump signed a presidential memorandum on Wednesday, directing the United States to withdraw from 66 international organizations, including 35 non-United Nations entities and 31 UN-affiliated bodies. The White House described these as operating contrary to U.S. national interests, following a comprehensive review initiated by an executive order in February 2025. This action aims to terminate taxpayer funding and U.S. participation in groups accused of promoting radical climate policies, global governance structures, and ideological agendas that conflict with American sovereignty and economic priorities.

The administration highlighted that the withdrawals will redirect resources away from entities advancing globalist programs or managing issues inefficiently. Key targets include major climate-related frameworks, such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the foundational treaty for international climate cooperation signed by nearly every nation, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the premier body assessing climate science. Additional exits cover organizations focused on renewable energy, oceans, water resources, population issues, and gender equality.

This sweeping decision builds upon earlier moves in Trump's second term, which began a year ago. These include slashing overall UN funding, ceasing engagement with the UN Human Rights Council, maintaining a funding halt for the Palestinian relief agency UNRWA, withdrawing from the UN cultural agency UNESCO, and initiating exits from the World Health Organization and the Paris climate agreement. The latest proclamation reinforces an "America First" approach to international engagements.

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Critics, including climate experts and diplomats, have condemned the withdrawals as a significant retreat from multilateral cooperation on global challenges. Scientists warn that abandoning climate bodies could undermine efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions and diminish U.S. influence in clean energy technologies, where competition with nations like China is intensifying. Environmental organizations described the move as a strategic blunder that isolates the United States.

The White House has not yet released the complete list of affected organizations, though partial details emerged through official statements and media reports. Implementation will proceed promptly across executive departments, with the administration emphasizing a focus on retaining influence in select UN standard-setting bodies aligned with U.S. priorities, such as telecommunications and maritime affairs. This development marks a further deepening of the U.S. shift away from broad international commitments.

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