In a press statement issued Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the decision was taken in furtherance of Executive Order 14199, following an administration-wide review of international organisations receiving U.S. participation or funding.
According to Rubio, the Trump administration concluded that many of these institutions are redundant, mismanaged, unnecessary, or actively working against U.S. interests. Others, he said, have become platforms for ideological agendas that undermine national sovereignty and divert American resources with little tangible benefit.
“It is no longer acceptable to be sending these institutions the blood, sweat, and treasure of the American people, with little to nothing to show for it,” Rubio said.
The administration argues that billions of dollars in U.S. taxpayer money have flowed for years to international bodies that deliver few results while advancing policies at odds with the Trump administration’s priorities. Rubio said those days are now over.
Trump directed all executive departments and agencies to take immediate steps to effect the country’s withdrawal from the organisations as soon as possible.
Of the 66 organisations, 31 are United Nations (UN) entities while 35 are non-UN affiliated.
Notable among the organisations include the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which, according to the White House, operate contrary to America’s national interests.
Upon returning to office last January, Trump initiated the withdrawal of the US from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Paris Climate Agreement.
Weeks later, he signed an executive order withdrawing the US from the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and prohibiting any future funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency for the Near East (UNRWA).
UNFCCC addresses global climate efforts and coordinates international action on climate change through annual COP meetings and agreements like the Paris Accord. Trump has repeatedly labelled climate change a “scam”.
UNFPA promotes access to family planning, maternal healthcare, and efforts to end gender-based violence and harmful practices like child marriage. Historically, the US provided substantial funding to UNFPA for programmes in over 150 countries.
