President Donald Trump has ordered the United States to exit UNESCO once again, marking the second time he’s pulled the plug on the United Nations cultural agency. The departure will come into effect December 31, 2026.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly blasted UNESCO as “woke, divisive cultural and social causes totally out‑of‑step with commonsense policies Americans voted for,” according to the New York Post.
NEW: President Trump has decided to withdraw from UNESCO – which supports woke, divisive cultural and social causes.
The President will always put America First. Our membership in all international organizations must align with our national interests.https://t.co/UQ6bxuj3Xo
— Anna Kelly (@AnnaKelly47) July 22, 2025
The Trump administration’s State Department echoed that sentiment, saying continuing membership is not in the national interest, accusing the organization of pushing a “globalist, ideological agenda” that runs counter to his “America First” doctrine.
“Today, the United States announced our decision to withdraw from UNESCO. Like many UN organizations, UNESCO strayed from its founding mission. Going forward, U.S. participation in international organizations must make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous,” State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce wrote on X.
Today, the United States announced our decision to withdraw from UNESCO. Like many UN organizations, UNESCO strayed from its founding mission. Going forward, U.S. participation in international organizations must make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous.
— Tammy Bruce (@statedeptspox) July 22, 2025
More from the press release:
Today, the United States informed Director-General Audrey Azoulay of the United States’ decision to withdraw from UNESCO. Continued involvement in UNESCO is not in the national interest of the United States.
UNESCO works to advance divisive social and cultural causes and maintains an outsized focus on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, a globalist, ideological agenda for international development at odds with our America First foreign policy. UNESCO’s decision to admit the “State of Palestine” as a Member State is highly problematic, contrary to U.S. policy, and contributed to the proliferation of anti-Israel rhetoric within the organization.
Continued U.S. participation in international organizations will focus on advancing American interests with clarity and conviction.
Pursuant to Article II(6) of the UNESCO Constitution, U.S. withdrawal will take effect on December 31, 2026. The United States will remain a full member of UNESCO until that time.
Director-General Audrey Azoulay issued the following statement in response to the withdrawal:
I deeply regret President Donald Trump’s decision to once again withdraw the United States of America from UNESCO – a decision that will take effect at the end of December 2026.
This decision contradicts the fundamental principles of multilateralism, and may affect first and foremost our many partners in the United States of America— communities seeking site inscription on the World Heritage List, Creative City status, and University Chairs.
However regrettable, this announcement was anticipated, and UNESCO has prepared for it.
In recent years, we have undertaken major structural reforms and diversified our funding sources. Thanks to the efforts made by the Organization since 2018, the decreasing trend in the financial contribution of the US has been offset, so that it now represents 8% of the Organization’s total budget compared to 40% for some United Nations entities; while at the same time, UNESCO’s overall budget has steadily increased. Today, the Organization is better protected in financial terms, with the steady support of a large number of Member States and private contributors. These voluntary contributions have doubled since 2018.
At this stage, the Organization is not considering any layoffs.
In spite of President Donald Trump’s first withdrawal in 2017, UNESCO stepped up its efforts to take action wherever its mission could contribute to peace and demonstrated the pivotal nature of its mandate.
The Organization successfully completed the largest operation in its history, with the reconstruction of the old city of Mosul which began in 2018; it adopted the first and only global standard-setting instrument on the ethics of artificial intelligence; and it has developed major programmes to support culture and education in conflict settings, whether in Ukraine, Lebanon or Yemen. It has also stepped up its action for biodiversity and natural heritage, as well as for girls’ education.
The reasons put forward by the United States to withdraw from the Organization are the same as seven years ago 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.
These claims also contradict the reality of UNESCO’s efforts, particularly in the field of Holocaust education and the fight against antisemitism.
UNESCO is the only United Nations agency responsible for these issues, and its work has been unanimously acclaimed by major specialized organizations such as the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC, the World Jewish Congress and its American Section, and the American Jewish Committee (AJC). UNESCO has supported 85 countries in implementing tools and training teachers to educate students about the Holocaust and genocides, and to combat Holocaust denial and hate speech.
UNESCO will continue to carry out these missions, despite inevitably reduced resources.
UNESCO’s purpose is to welcome all the nations of the world, and the United States of America is and will always be welcome.
We will continue to work hand in hand with all of our American partners in the private sector, academia and non-profit organizations, and will pursue political dialogue with the US administration and Congress.
Statement by the Director-General of @UNESCO, @AAzoulay, following the decision of the United States to withdraw from the Organization.
Read more: https://t.co/yBRPkgmp3O pic.twitter.com/hqp0bqKqJy
— UNESCO ️ #Education #Sciences #Culture (@UNESCO) July 22, 2025
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