The Trump administration has announced plans to withdraw the United States from dozens of international organizations, marking a major shift away from global cooperation.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday suspending US support for 66 international bodies, many of them linked to the United Nations, following a broad review of American participation and funding.
According to the White House and the State Department, the administration believes many of these organizations are redundant, poorly managed, wasteful, or operate in ways that conflict with US interests. Several of the affected agencies focus on climate change, labor rights, population studies, and diversity-related initiatives, which the administration has repeatedly criticized as promoting “woke” agendas.
Among the most significant withdrawals is the US exit from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the treaty that forms the foundation of international climate negotiations, including the Paris climate agreement. Trump, who has previously dismissed climate change as a hoax, also withdrew the US from the Paris deal during his earlier presidency. Climate scientists warn that without US participation, global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions could slow, as the country is one of the world’s largest polluters and economies.
The US is also cutting ties with the UN Population Fund, an agency that provides reproductive and maternal health services worldwide. The organization has long faced opposition from Republican leaders, who claim it supports coercive abortion practices, particularly in China. However, a State Department review conducted during the Biden administration found no evidence supporting those claims, and funding had been restored in 2021.
Experts say the decision reflects a “my way or the highway” approach to international cooperation. Analysts note that while previous Republican and Democratic administrations worked within multilateral systems, the current administration prefers selective engagement, supporting only those global institutions it believes directly advance US influence, especially in areas where it competes with China.
The move has already had ripple effects, forcing the United Nations and partner organizations to cut staff and programs. Many nonprofit groups working with the UN have also reported project closures following earlier reductions in US foreign aid through USAID.
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Despite the withdrawals, US officials say they still see value in certain international bodies and plan to focus funding on organizations tied to global standards in technology, labor, and trade.
