On July 22, 2025, President Donald Trump announced that the United States will leave UNESCO, the United Nations agency for education, science, and culture. This is the second time Trump has pulled the US out of the organization. The withdrawal will take effect on December 31, 2026.
UNESCO was created after World War Two to promote peace through international cooperation in education, science, and culture. The US first joined UNESCO in 1945 but left in 1984 because of concerns about financial mismanagement and anti-US bias. It rejoined in 2003 under President George W. Bush after reforms were promised.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said the decision was because UNESCO supports “woke, divisive cultural and social causes” that do not align with American values. The US State Department said staying in UNESCO no longer fits with the “America First” policy, accusing UNESCO of pushing a “globalist, ideological agenda.”
One major reason for the US withdrawal is UNESCO’s decision to accept Palestine as a member state, which the US opposes because it sees this as contributing to anti-Israel statements within the organization. Israel welcomed the US decision to leave.
UNESCO Director Audrey Azoulay expressed deep regret but said the organization had prepared for this decision. She pointed out that only about 8% of UNESCO’s budget comes from the US, and that the agency continues important work, including Holocaust education and fighting antisemitism.
During his first term, Trump withdrew the US from other international bodies such as the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Agreement but had reversed some of these moves during his second term until this latest decision on UNESCO.
Overall, UNESCO is best known for protecting World Heritage Sites, including famous places like the Grand Canyon in the US and Palmyra in Syria.
