U.S. President Donald Trump has decided to once again withdraw the United States from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), citing its support for what he calls “woke, divisive cultural and social causes.” The announcement was made by the White House on Tuesday, marking the second time Trump has taken such a step—his first UNESCO exit was in 2017, later reversed by President Joe Biden in 2023.
According to the White House, the decision aligns with Trump’s broader “America First” foreign policy, which has consistently emphasized national sovereignty over participation in multilateral global organizations.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said UNESCO “supports woke, divisive cultural and social causes that are totally out-of-step with the commonsense policies that Americans voted for.”
UNESCO was established in 1945 in the aftermath of World War II to foster peace and cooperation through global efforts in education, science, and culture. Among its well-known programs is the World Heritage List, which includes iconic sites like the Grand Canyon, the Statue of Liberty, and Egypt’s pyramids. The U.S. currently has 26 World Heritage Sites under this designation.
The U.S. previously provided about 8% of UNESCO's total budget, but Trump’s first exit in 2017 left Washington with $542 million in unpaid dues. UNESCO officials, however, noted that funding sources have since been diversified to reduce dependency on any single nation.
The State Department accused UNESCO of supporting “a globalist, ideological agenda for international development at odds with our America First foreign policy.”
The U.S. withdrawal also stems from longstanding tensions over UNESCO's 2011 decision to admit Palestine as a full member, which both the Obama and Trump administrations have criticized as undermining Israel’s position in global forums.
“Its decision to admit the Palestinians as a member state was highly problematic, contrary to U.S. policy, and contributed to the proliferation of anti-Israel rhetoric,” the State Department noted.
UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay expressed her disappointment but noted the agency was prepared for this possibility.
“Even though the situation has changed profoundly, political tensions have receded, and UNESCO today constitutes a rare forum for consensus on concrete and action-oriented multilateralism.”
Azoulay also defended the organization's track record, especially in countering antisemitism:
“These claims also contradict the reality of UNESCO’s efforts, particularly in the field of Holocaust education and the fight against antisemitism,” she added.
France, which hosts the agency’s headquarters in Paris, reaffirmed its commitment:
Posting on X, French President Emmanuel Macron professed “unwavering support” for the “universal protector” of world heritage.
Israel strongly backed the U.S. exit, accusing UNESCO of anti-Israel leanings.
Israel’s U.N. ambassador Danny Danon accused UNESCO of “consistent misguided anti-Israel bias.”
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar thanked the U.S. for its “moral support and leadership,” adding: “Singling out Israel and politicization by member states must end, in this and all professional UN agencies.”
Not everyone in Washington supports the withdrawal. Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen criticized the decision as a strategic error:
She called Trump’s move “short-sighted and a win for China,” which became UNESCO’s largest funder after the U.S. exited in 2017.
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1945 | U.S. helps found UNESCO after WWII |
| 1984 | Reagan pulls out over mismanagement and anti-U.S. bias |
| 2003 | Bush rejoins after claimed reforms |
| 2011 | Obama halts funding after Palestine gains full membership |
| 2017 | Trump withdraws, citing anti-Israel bias |
| 2023 | Biden restores U.S. membership |
| 2025 (Planned) | Trump aims to pull out again |
UNESCO officials say the U.S. departure, expected to take effect by the end of 2025, will have limited impact on ongoing programs due to diversified funding sources. Still, the withdrawal highlights how international cultural and scientific cooperation remains deeply entwined with global geopolitics.
Meanwhile, Trump’s U.N. envoy pick, Mike Waltz, reaffirmed the former president’s desire to reshape global institutions:
“We can make the U.N. great again.”