NEW YORK – The Trump administration announced on Tuesday that the United States will leave the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). This marks the second time in less than 10 years that President Donald Trump has ended U.S. membership with the Paris-based agency.
The administration listed UNESCO’s support for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts, an alleged bias against the U.S. and Israel, and what it considers a globalist direction as main reasons for this decision. The move will take effect on December 31, 2026.
White House deputy spokesperson Anna Kelly stated that Trump is withdrawing because UNESCO backs “woke, divisive cultural and social causes” that do not align with the values many Americans supported in the last election.
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce shared similar concerns, claiming that UNESCO pushes a “globalist, ideological agenda” through its work on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and for admitting Palestine as a member in 2011, which the U.S. opposes.
Trump ordered a 90-day review of UNESCO in February. This review looked into UNESCO’s operations and raised concerns about anti-Semitism, negative views toward Israel, and what Trump officials describe as a “pro-China bias.”
The review highlighted UNESCO’s 2023 “anti-racism toolkit” and a 2024 campaign called “Transforming MEN’talities.”
The toolkit encourages countries to promote anti-racist policies and spur progress in social justice, while the gender-focused campaign explored how video games can promote equality. The administration views these as going too far in promoting social ideas.
Bigger Picture: U.S. vs. the UN
The decision reflects a common criticism from the Trump administration: that the United Nations, through agencies like UNESCO, has drifted from its original mission of encouraging education, science, and cultural exchange. Instead, officials say it now promotes progressive ideas that divide, rather than unite, countries.
UNESCO, which started in 1945, is known for naming places like the Grand Canyon and Egypt’s pyramids as World Heritage Sites. Still, many in Trump’s circle think the agency’s new focus on DEI and sustainability pushes aside traditional values and national independence.
A senior administration official who asked not to be named told Bloomberg that the UN has become large and inefficient, losing its way and “pushing policies that deepen global divisions.”
The official also criticized the UN for ignoring the ways China, the second-biggest donor to UNESCO, uses its money to promote its standards in areas like artificial intelligence and cultural heritage.
The U.S. has now left UNESCO three times. President Reagan first withdrew in 1984, blaming mismanagement and a bias against the West. Under George W. Bush, the U.S. rejoined in 2003.
Trump’s earlier exit in 2017 also pointed to anti-Israel bias and left UNESCO with $542 million in unpaid contributions from the U.S. President Biden rejoined the agency in 2023 and paid $619 million to catch up on dues, saying it was needed to counter China’s growing influence.
Now, with Trump back, the U.S. leaves again in a move that raises questions about its commitment to global organizations.
Global Response and Funding Gaps
UNESCO’s Director-General Audrey Azoulay said she was disappointed by the U.S. decision. She stressed that UNESCO has adjusted to the loss of funding since the first U.S. departure six years ago, and now gets just 8% of its budget from America, compared to 20% in the past.
Azoulay defended UNESCO’s work to educate about the Holocaust and to fight antisemitism, calling these examples of balanced action.
International leaders gave mixed reactions. Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar called the move necessary to fight what he sees as UNESCO’s bias against Israel. French President Emmanuel Macron, on the other hand, pledged full support for UNESCO and praised its role in protecting global culture and science.
Some U.S. lawmakers criticized the decision. Senator Jeanne Shaheen warned that leaving UNESCO again risks giving more control to China, which has taken on a larger role in the agency when the U.S. was absent before.
She called it “short-sighted and a win for China.” Representative Gregory Meeks also opposed the exit, saying the U.S. is giving up its voice in worldwide education and cultural matters.
Part of a Broader Shift
The move to quit UNESCO fits with other actions the Trump administration has taken. The president has already pulled support from the World Health Organization, stopped funding the UN’s agency helping Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), and left the UN Human Rights Council.
These choices are consistent with the “America First” policy, which focuses on U.S. interests before cooperation with other countries.
While Trump’s supporters say these steps protect national independence, critics argue that repeated exits from global groups leave room for rivals, especially China, to expand their influence.
Sarah Margon, a foreign policy analyst at the Center for American Progress, said that the U.S. is creating an opening for China by stepping away. Yet others believe that UNESCO’s focus on DEI and sustainability has turned away not just the U.S., but also other governments that prefer more traditional priorities.
With the U.S. set to leave UNESCO at the end of 2026, the agency will face questions about how it stays relevant without a founding member. For President Trump, pulling out shows he will not support organizations his team thinks do not match U.S. values.
The long-term impact of this decision is uncertain. Some believe it will promote U.S. independence, while others worry it will reduce American influence around the world and shape international relations for years ahead.
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