he administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has announced plans to withdraw the United States from as many as 66 international organisations, including several bodies affiliated with the United Nations, arguing that they no longer serve American national interests.

 

            

Reported by Sanchita chatterjee:The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has announced plans to withdraw the United States from as many as 66 international organisations, including several bodies affiliated with the United Nations, arguing that they no longer serve American national interests.

The decision was contained in a proclamation issued on Wednesday following a comprehensive review of all international organisations, conventions, and treaties to which the United States is a party. According to the White House, the review concluded that many of these organisations operate in ways that undermine U.S. security, economic prosperity, sovereignty, and core national priorities.

As part of the move, the U.S. will no longer actively participate in or provide funding for these organisations. Of the 66 affected bodies, 31 are linked to the United Nations, while the remaining 35 are non-UN international organisations. Many of them are key platforms for global cooperation on climate change, peacebuilding, democratic governance, and social development.

The proclamation specifically directs U.S. executive departments and agencies to immediately cease participation in and funding of the identified organisations, which the administration says promote “globalist agendas,” radical climate policies, or ideological programmes that conflict with American values and interests.

The White House argued that American taxpayers have spent billions of dollars supporting these institutions with minimal benefits to the United States. It stated that pulling out will help redirect resources toward domestic priorities and ensure taxpayer money is spent in ways that directly benefit Americans.

“By exiting these entities, President Trump is saving taxpayer money and refocusing resources on America-first priorities,” the administration said.

Among the UN-affiliated bodies affected by the decision are the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which underpins global climate negotiations and the Paris Agreement framework; the United Nations Population Fund; and the UN Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children in Armed Conflict. The U.S. is also withdrawing from the International Cotton Advisory Committee, a nearly 90-year-old organisation established in Washington to support cotton-producing nations.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio publicly praised the move, describing the organisations as wasteful and hostile to American interests. In a post on X, he said the withdrawals fulfill a key promise made by President Trump to stop subsidising international bureaucracies that act against the United States. Rubio added that reviews of additional international organisations are still ongoing.

This latest action further deepens the Trump administration’s retreat from multilateral global cooperation, particularly in areas such as climate change and public health. In January 2024, President Trump signed an executive order withdrawing the U.S. from the World Health Organisation, citing dissatisfaction with its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. His administration has also made repeated efforts to pull the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Agreement, arguing that it unfairly burdens American taxpayers while benefiting countries that do not require financial assistance.

According to President Trump, such international agreements do not reflect U.S. values and fail to serve the interests of the American people.