In a sweeping move that redefines America's role on the global stage, President Donald Trump has mandated the United States government to exit 66 international organizations. The White House asserts these bodies no longer align with American interests, marking a significant shift in foreign policy.
A Broad Retreat from Global Engagement
The directive, issued via a presidential memo, targets a wide array of international cooperation frameworks. According to an official fact sheet released on Wednesday, the list includes 31 separate United Nations entities and an additional 35 non-UN organizations. The administration claims these groups operate in ways that are contrary to U.S. national interests, security, economic prosperity, or sovereignty.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio strongly defended the decision. "It is no longer acceptable to be sending these institutions the blood, sweat, and treasure of the American people, with little to nothing to show for it," Rubio stated in a press release. He emphatically added, "The days of billions of dollars in taxpayer money flowing to foreign interests at the expense of our people are over."
Climate Diplomacy Takes a Major Hit
The withdrawal solidifies the Trump administration's consistent retreat from international environmental efforts. Notably, the U.S. will pull back from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the foundational 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
This treaty establishes the critical goal of stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations and requires member nations to provide annual inventories of their pollution. The framework also serves as the bedrock for the Paris Agreement, from which Trump has already initiated a withdrawal set to be finalized later this month.
Environmental advocates reacted with alarm. Manish Bapna, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council, warned that the move is self-defeating. He argued it would leave the U.S. out of key decisions on the clean energy transition and forgo trillions in potential investment, jobs, and new markets for American technology.
Financial Strains and Broader Implications
The White House fact sheet did not specify the exact financial impact of the withdrawal. However, the decision follows closely on the heels of a UN budget crisis, driven largely by Washington's refusal to pay its assessed dues. In response, the UN recently approved a 7% budget cut, which includes eliminating approximately 2,900 positions.
The organization's cost-cutting measures have become increasingly stark, exemplified by last year's decision to stop providing paper towels in restrooms at its New York headquarters. A UN spokesperson declined immediate comment, stating the organization would wait for more details.
This latest action is consistent with Trump's domestic policy shifts, where regulatory agencies have been rewriting rules that previously restricted pollution from fossil fuels. The combined effect signals a profound transformation in how the United States engages with multilateral systems it helped create in the post-war era.
