President Donald Trump has once again pulled the United States out of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), accusing the agency of promoting “divisive, ideological causes” that clash with American values and the administration’s “America First” policy.
White House Deputy Spokesperson Anna Kelly announced the decision Tuesday, saying, “President Trump has decided to withdraw from UNESCO due to its backing of woke, globalist policies that are completely misaligned with the commonsense priorities Americans voted for. This administration will only support international organizations that serve our national interest.”
This marks the second time Trump has removed the U.S. from UNESCO. His administration first withdrew in 2017, citing similar concerns. President Joe Biden rejoined the agency in 2023, but the Trump administration now says the issues remain unresolved.
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce echoed that stance, stating, “Our continued involvement with UNESCO is no longer in the national interest. The agency’s focus on social and cultural activism, along with its promotion of the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals, runs counter to the values and policies that define our foreign policy approach.”
Bruce also criticized UNESCO’s recognition of the “State of Palestine” as a full member — a move the U.S. considers incompatible with its position on Middle East diplomacy and one that, according to the administration, has amplified anti-Israel sentiment within the organization.
The decision comes amid broader tensions between the Trump administration and the United Nations. The U.S.- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has faced pushback from U.N. officials, and Secretary-General António Guterres recently warned that U.S. foreign aid cuts could have dire consequences for vulnerable populations worldwide.
Critics of the move, including former President George W. Bush and several Democrats, have argued that pulling out of international institutions like UNESCO weakens U.S. global leadership and undermines cooperation on education, science, and cultural preservation. But the Trump administration maintains that global cooperation should not come at the cost of national sovereignty or values.
“UNESCO has failed to reform,” Kelly said. “President Trump is not going to keep the United States locked into a globalist institution that promotes policies Americans don’t support.”
The withdrawal is expected to take effect by the end of the year.
