On Tuesday, President Donald Trump directed the United States to once again withdraw from UNESCO, the United Nations’ culture and education agency. This decision marks a reversal of a move by his successor, Joe Biden, who had rejoined the organization after Trump’s initial withdrawal during his first term. The effective date for this departure from the Paris-based agency, established post-World War Two to foster peace through international collaboration in education, science, and culture, is set for December 31, 2026.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly explained the rationale behind the withdrawal: “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 commonsense policies that Americans voted for in November.” The State Department further elaborated that continued membership in UNESCO was not aligned with national interests, criticizing the agency for having “a globalist, ideological agenda for international development at odds with our America First foreign policy.”
UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay expressed her profound regret over Trump’s decision but acknowledged that it was “expected, and Unesco has prepared for it.” She noted that the agency had diversified its funding sources, now receiving only approximately 8% of its budget from Washington. French President Emmanuel Macron voiced his unwavering support for UNESCO on X (formerly Twitter), calling it the “universal protector of science, the ocean, education, culture, and world heritage.” He emphasized that “The withdrawal of the United States will not weaken our commitment to those who are fighting this battle.”
UNESCO is among several international organizations from which Trump initiated withdrawals during his first term, including the World Health Organization, the Paris Agreement on global climate change, and the UN Human Rights Council. In his current term, he has largely reinstated these previous withdrawals. UNESCO officials anticipate that the US withdrawal will have a limited impact on programs that had been receiving American financial support.
Tensions Over Israel-Palestine Stance: Israel publicly welcomed the U.S. decision to exit UNESCO. The US State Department cited UNESCO’s decision to admit Palestine as a member state as a key reason for the withdrawal, contending that it was “contrary to US policy and contributed to the proliferation of anti-Israel rhetoric within the organisation.”
However, UNESCO officials countered by stating that all pertinent agency statements over the past eight years had been mutually agreed upon by both Israeli and Palestinian representatives. Azoulay elaborated, “The reasons put forward by the United States to withdraw from the Organisation are the same as seven years ago even though the situation has changed profoundly, political tensions have receded, and Unesco today constitutes a rare forum for consensus on concrete and action-oriented multilateralism.” She further asserted, “These claims also contradict the reality of Unesco’s efforts, particularly in the field of Holocaust education and the fight against antisemitism.”
Diplomats at UNESCO reportedly felt that the withdrawal was politically unavoidable, especially given that President Biden had previously brought the U.S. back into the organization and had pledged to settle outstanding arrears from Trump’s initial pullout. UNESCO, formally known as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, is widely recognized for its designation of World Heritage Sites, which include natural wonders like the Grand Canyon in the United States and historical treasures such as the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria. The United States was a founding member of UNESCO in 1945 but initially withdrew in 1984, citing concerns over alleged financial mismanagement and perceived anti-US bias. It rejoined in 2003 under President George W. Bush, who stated that the agency had undertaken necessary reforms.
