President Trump pulls US out of UNESCO

Posted 2025-07-22 18:44:58

Citing United Nations agency’s anti-American, anti-Israel, and pro-China bias, Trump administration pulls US out of UNESCO – for a second time

Two separate reports published on Tuesday claimed that President Donald Trump has ordered the US to exit the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The New York Post cited White House deputy spokesperson Anna Kelly who said the president called to cut ties with UNESCO over the agency’s embrace of “woke” and “divisive” causes.

“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,” Kelly said. “This President will always put America First and ensure our country’s membership in all international organizations aligns with our national interests.”

Reuters cited two European diplomats who confirmed that the US is leaving UNESCO.

Founded in 1945 immediately after the Second World War, UNESCO was established to promote international educational, scientific, and cultural cooperation.

Despite its stated goal of strengthening international cultural ties, UNESCO has often drawn fire for its alleged progressive, anti-American, and anti-Israel stance.

This is not the first time the US has withdrawn from the agency amid accusations of anti-American bias.

In 1984, the Reagan administration pulled the US out of UNESCO, before President George W. Bush restored American involvement with the agency.

From 2011 on, the US ceased funding UNESCO, without formally withdrawing, after the agency accepted the Palestinian Authority as a member.

Nor is this the first time Trump has cut ties with UNESCO, having previously pulled the US out in 2018.

At the time, the US paid for 20% of UNESCO’s total budget.

Since the Biden administration brought the US back into UNESCO, however, the US has covered just 8% of the agency’s spending. However, the Biden administration agreed to pay an additional $600 million to cover past membership dues.

According to Kelly, the latest decision to bolt UNESCO was taken based on what the Trump administration dubbed the agency’s pro-Beijing tilt, its hostility towards Israel – including registering Jewish holy sites as “Palestinian World Heritage” sites, and its biased against the US.

Trump’s decision is set to go into effect this December.