U.S. to Withdraw from 66 International Organizations Amid Retreat from Global Cooperation

According to Rokna, citing NBC News, on Wednesday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order suspending U.S. support for 66 organizations, agencies, and commissions. The move follows a review by his administration of U.S. participation in and funding for all international organizations, including those affiliated with the United Nations, according to a White House statement.

Most of the agencies targeted are affiliated with the U.N. and focus on climate, labor, migration, and other issues the Trump administration has criticized as promoting diversity and “woke” policies. Other organizations on the list include the Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, and the Global Counterterrorism Forum.

“The Trump Administration has found these institutions to be redundant, mismanaged, unnecessary, wasteful, poorly run, influenced by actors pursuing agendas contrary to U.S. interests, or a threat to our nation’s sovereignty, freedoms, and prosperity,” the State Department said.

The decision comes as the administration has taken controversial military and diplomatic actions, including the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and hints at a potential move on Greenland.

This latest withdrawal follows earlier U.S. exits from the World Health Organization, the U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestinian refugees, the U.N. Human Rights Council, and UNESCO. Analysts say the approach reflects a more selective “a-la-carte” engagement with international bodies, funding only those programs seen as aligning with U.S. priorities.

“I think we are witnessing a crystallization of the U.S. approach to multilateralism: my way or the highway,” said Daniel Forti, head of U.N. affairs at the International Crisis Group. “It’s a clear effort to shape international cooperation on Washington’s terms.”

The policy marks a departure from prior Republican and Democratic administrations and has forced the U.N. and related organizations to implement staffing and program reductions. Independent non-governmental organizations working with the U.N. have reported numerous project closures, partly due to U.S. funding cuts through USAID last year.

Despite the pullback, U.S. officials, including Trump, assert that the country still sees potential in certain U.N. initiatives and wants to prioritize taxpayer dollars on areas where competition with China exists, such as the International Telecommunications Union, the International Maritime Organization, and the International Labor Organization.

Among the organizations being exited is the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the treaty underpinning the Paris Climate Agreement. Trump, who has repeatedly labeled climate change a “hoax,” withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Agreement shortly after returning to the White House.

Gina McCarthy, former White House National Climate Adviser, criticized the move as “shortsighted, embarrassing, and foolish,” noting that it removes the U.S. from decades of climate leadership and global collaboration. Scientists warn that climate change is driving increasingly severe weather events, from floods and droughts to wildfires and extreme heat.

The U.S. withdrawal may hinder global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, experts say, as it allows other countries to delay commitments. Rob Jackson, chair of the Global Carbon Project at Stanford University, emphasized that meaningful progress on climate issues is difficult without U.S. involvement, given its size as an economy and emitter.

The U.N. population agency, which provides sexual and reproductive health services worldwide, has long been criticized by Republicans. Trump cut funding during his first term, citing allegations of “coercive abortion practices” in countries such as China—claims later found unsubstantiated by a State Department review under President Biden, who restored funding in 2021.

Other organizations from which the U.S. will withdraw include the Carbon Free Energy Compact, the United Nations University, the International Cotton Advisory Committee, the International Tropical Timber Organization, the Pan-American Institute for Geography and History, the International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies, and the International Lead and Zinc Study Group.