Trump announces US withdrawal from 66 international and UN organizations

Washington:  US President Donald Trump has announced that the United States will withdraw from 66 international organizations, including multiple United Nations agencies, and will end its financial support for them.

Trump stated that the decision affects several UN bodies and international institutions, including a major environmental agreement and the UN entity dedicated to gender equality and women’s empowerment, citing that these organizations work against U.S. national interests.

Among the agencies affected, the U.S. will withdraw from UN Women, which focuses on gender equality, and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), which supports family planning and maternal and child health in over 150 countries. The U.S. had already cut funding to UNFPA last year.

The White House released a list highlighting 35 organizations outside the UN system, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the National Democratic Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Additionally, the US will step back from 31 UN agencies, including the central UN climate framework (UNFCCC), the UN Democracy Fund, and UNFPA, the key agency working on maternal and child health. Last year, the U.S. also skipped its first UN annual climate conference in three decades.

According to the British news agency, Trump’s move reflects his long-standing skepticism toward multilateral institutions, particularly the UN. He has frequently questioned their utility, cost, and accountability, arguing that many fail to serve American interests.

A formal response from the United Nations is expected following this announcement. Since the start of his second term last January, Trump has already pulled the U.S. out of the World Health Organization (WHO), the Paris Climate Agreement, and the UN Human Rights Council.