U.S. Announces Second UNESCO Withdrawal Under Trump, Set for 2026 Exit
U.S. Announces Second UNESCO Withdrawal Under Trump, Set for 2026 Exit
The Trump administration has declared its intent to withdraw the United States from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), marking the second such exit under President Donald Trump. This significant foreign policy shift comes approximately two years after the U.S. rejoined the global body under the Biden administration.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce confirmed the decision on Tuesday, asserting that continued involvement in UNESCO is “not in the national interest of the United States.” Bruce accused the U.N. agency of promoting “divisive social and cultural causes.” The withdrawal is slated to become effective at the close of 2026.
UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay acknowledged the decision with disappointment, though she indicated it had been anticipated. Azoulay stressed that the move contradicts fundamental principles of multilateralism and could negatively impact numerous U.S. partners, including communities seeking World Heritage site inscription and Creative City status. UNESCO currently oversees more than 1,200 World Heritage sites globally, with 26 located in the U.S., such as the Statue of Liberty and Yosemite National Park.
Among the specific reasons cited by Bruce for the withdrawal were UNESCO’s “outsized focus” on the U.N.’s sustainable development goals, which she characterized as a “globalist, ideological agenda at odds with our America First foreign policy.” The administration also reiterated its long-standing objection to UNESCO’s admission of Palestine as a member in 2011, which Bruce stated “contributed to the proliferation of anti-Israel rhetoric within the organization.”
This latest withdrawal mirrors the Trump administration’s previous exit from UNESCO in 2018, which was also driven by concerns over perceived anti-Israel bias. The U.S. had rejoined UNESCO in 2023 under the Biden administration, committing to pay over $600 million in back dues.
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