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Friday, Jan 09, 2026
Outside the box.
United States to Withdraw from 66 International Bodies in Major Shift of Global Engagement
President Trump orders suspension of U.S. support for dozens of United Nations and other international organizations, reshaping U.S. multilateral policy
The United States announced a sweeping withdrawal from 66 international organizations and bodies, in a decisive move that signals a substantial reorientation of its role in global governance.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday directing the suspension of U.S. participation and funding for a wide set of entities, including 31 affiliated with the United Nations and 35 non-UN bodies, after a comprehensive review of America’s commitments abroad.
The administration argued that many of the affected organizations focus on issues that are not aligned with U.S. national interests, such as climate change, labour standards, migration policy and equity initiatives, and that their mandates are redundant, mismanaged or contrary to American sovereignty and prosperity.
Among the most high-profile exits are the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, the foundational treaty behind global climate negotiations, the U.N. Population Fund, and other advisory panels and commissions devoted to social and environmental goals.
Officials framed the shift as part of a broader strategy to prioritise U.S. taxpayers and to allocate resources toward areas of strategic competition, particularly with China, and to strengthen American influence on select standard-setting forums.
Supporters of the decision say it emphasises national sovereignty and ensures that U.S. engagement is focused on institutions deemed most relevant to its interests.
However, the decision has prompted concern from international partners and civil society groups, who warn that withdrawing from long-standing multilateral frameworks could undermine global cooperation on shared challenges such as climate change, peacebuilding and public health, and diminish U.S. diplomatic leadership.
The policy continues a trend during the Trump administration of recalibrating America’s participation in international institutions, following earlier withdrawals from the World Health Organization, the U.N. Human Rights Council, and UNESCO.
The impact of the latest wave of exits will evolve as agencies adjust to the loss of U.S. funding and involvement, and as the United States and its allies navigate the future of global cooperation in a rapidly changing strategic environment.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday directing the suspension of U.S. participation and funding for a wide set of entities, including 31 affiliated with the United Nations and 35 non-UN bodies, after a comprehensive review of America’s commitments abroad.
The administration argued that many of the affected organizations focus on issues that are not aligned with U.S. national interests, such as climate change, labour standards, migration policy and equity initiatives, and that their mandates are redundant, mismanaged or contrary to American sovereignty and prosperity.
Among the most high-profile exits are the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, the foundational treaty behind global climate negotiations, the U.N. Population Fund, and other advisory panels and commissions devoted to social and environmental goals.
Officials framed the shift as part of a broader strategy to prioritise U.S. taxpayers and to allocate resources toward areas of strategic competition, particularly with China, and to strengthen American influence on select standard-setting forums.
Supporters of the decision say it emphasises national sovereignty and ensures that U.S. engagement is focused on institutions deemed most relevant to its interests.
However, the decision has prompted concern from international partners and civil society groups, who warn that withdrawing from long-standing multilateral frameworks could undermine global cooperation on shared challenges such as climate change, peacebuilding and public health, and diminish U.S. diplomatic leadership.
The policy continues a trend during the Trump administration of recalibrating America’s participation in international institutions, following earlier withdrawals from the World Health Organization, the U.N. Human Rights Council, and UNESCO.
The impact of the latest wave of exits will evolve as agencies adjust to the loss of U.S. funding and involvement, and as the United States and its allies navigate the future of global cooperation in a rapidly changing strategic environment.
