WASHINGTON – US President Trump announced on Wednesday that the United States will withdraw from several international and United Nations entities. The move includes a key climate treaty and a UN body promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment. Trump said these organizations operate contrary to US national interests.
In a memo, Trump listed 35 non-UN groups and 31 UN entities targeted for withdrawal. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the foundation for the 2015 Paris climate agreement, is among them. The US missed last year’s UN climate summit for the first time in three decades.
Experts have criticized the decision. Manish Bapna, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council, said the US would be the first country to leave the UNFCCC. He added that membership allows nations to influence global economic and climate policy.
The US will also leave UN Women, an agency focused on gender equality, and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), which supports family planning, maternal, and child health in over 150 countries. Funding to UNFPA had already been reduced last year.
The memo states that withdrawal means ceasing participation or funding of UN entities to the extent allowed by law. Many voluntary contributions to UN agencies have already been significantly cut under Trump’s administration.
This decision reflects Trump’s long-standing skepticism toward multilateral organizations. Since starting his second term, he has reduced UN funding, exited the UN Human Rights Council, stopped contributions to UNRWA, and pulled the US from UNESCO. Plans to leave the World Health Organization and the Paris climate agreement were also announced.
Other organizations on the US exit list include the UN Conference on Trade and Development, the International Energy Forum, the UN Register of Conventional Arms, and the UN Peacebuilding Commission.
The White House stated that the targeted entities promote “radical climate policies, global governance, and ideological programs” conflicting with US sovereignty and economic strength.
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Trump’s move signals a continued shift toward unilateral policies, with the administration prioritizing national interests over international cooperation.
