United States President Donald Trump has announced a decision to pull the U.S. out of UNESCO.
White House Deputy Spokesperson Anna Kelly made the decision known on Tuesday.
Kelly explained that the decision to pull the U.S. out of UNESCO was due to what she described as alleged anti-Israel bias, support for “woke” social causes, and misalignment with America’s national interests.
She added that the withdrawal will take effect from December 31, 2026.
She said: “UNESCO’s decision to admit the ‘State of Palestine’ as a member state is highly problematic, contrary to US policy, and contributed to the proliferation of anti-Israel rhetoric within the organization.
“President Donald Trump has decided to withdraw the United States from UNESCO – which supports woke, divisive cultural and social causes that are out-of-step with the commonsense policies that Americans voted for in November. This president will always put America First and ensure our country’s membership in all international organizations aligns with our national interests.”
Pan-Atlantic Kompass this decision follows a pattern of Trump’s skepticism toward UNESCO.
Recall that during his first term, Trump withdrew the U.S. from UNESCO in 2017, pointing to similar concerns of anti-Israel sentiment and financial arrears, which reached $542 million by the time of the exit.
The U.S. rejoined in 2023 under the administration of former President Joe Biden to counter China’s growing influence, with Beijing becoming UNESCO’s largest financial backer in Washington’s absence.
Recall also that Trump was not the first to pull the United States out of UNESCO.
Former President Ronald Reagan ended U.S. membership in the 1980s, saying the agency was corrupt and pro-Soviet. The United States reentered under the presidency of George W. Bush.
