Washington pulls out of UNESCO

The United States has formally withdrawn from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), marking a renewed retreat from multilateral institutions under the administration of President Donald Trump.

The US State Department confirmed the move, stating that continued involvement in the Paris-based UN agency “is not in the national interest of the United States.”

The decision, officials said, was motivated by the belief that UNESCO harbours a “persistent bias against Israel” and supports “divisive” global causes.

“Continued involvement in UNESCO is not in the national interest of the United States,” a spokesperson for the State Department said on Monday.

The withdrawal, which will take effect in December 2026, represents a significant blow to UNESCO — an organisation established in the aftermath of World War II to foster international peace through cooperation in education, science and culture. The agency is perhaps best known for designating World Heritage Sites, such as the Grand Canyon in the US and Palmyra in Syria.

UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay expressed regret over the US decision, calling it “deeply unfortunate” and a step backward in international cooperation. “I deeply regret President Donald Trump’s decision to once again withdraw the United States of America from UNESCO,” she said in a statement.

The move comes amid a broader reassessment of US foreign assistance programmes, as the Trump administration has placed a 90-day freeze on all foreign aid to determine alignment with its evolving policy priorities.

Pattern of disengagement
This is not the first time the US has exited UNESCO. Washington initially withdrew in 1984 during the Reagan administration, citing financial mismanagement and an alleged anti-US bias. It rejoined in 2003 under President George W. Bush after the agency undertook internal reforms. However, tensions reignited in 2011 when UNESCO admitted Palestine as a member, prompting the US to cut funding. Under President Trump’s first term, the US formally withdrew in 2017, although the process concluded in 2018.

President Joe Biden re-engaged with UNESCO and other international institutions upon taking office in 2021, including rejoining the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Paris climate agreement. But with Trump’s return to the White House, the US is once again distancing itself from various multilateral frameworks.

Besides UNESCO, the Trump administration had previously pulled out of the WHO, the UN Human Rights Council, the Iran nuclear deal, and the global climate accord, all of which were rejoined under Biden’s presidency.

Financial implications
UNESCO officials acknowledged that the US withdrawal would have limited but noticeable effects on the agency’s operations. “The agency is far less dependent on the United States than in the past,” one official said, noting that US contributions now account for about 8% of UNESCO’s budget — down from 20% at the time of its previous departure.

Nonetheless, the US has played a significant role in supporting various UNESCO programmes, particularly in education and cultural preservation. The decision is expected to impact some of those initiatives.

Diplomatic analysts say the withdrawal signals a further erosion of US commitment to international cooperation and could embolden other nations to question the relevance of multilateral engagement.

“UNESCO was created in response to war and division, with the belief that peace must be built on the intellectual and moral solidarity of humanity,” said a former UNESCO adviser. “When a founding member like the US walks away, it raises troubling questions about the future of that vision.”