United States will withdraw from UNESCO by the end of 2026, the State Department announced on Tuesday, just two years after rejoining the United Nations’ cultural agency.
The decision follows a review ordered by President Donald Trump, who criticized the UN’s management shortly after beginning his second term.
“The United States has notified UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay of our decision to withdraw,” State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement.
“Continued participation in UNESCO does not serve the national interests of the United States.”
The UN Educational, Scientific, Cultural and Communication Organization (UNESCO) promotes global cooperation in education, science, culture, and communication, and is renowned for its World Heritage list, which recognizes sites of cultural, historical, or natural significance, such as Yellowstone National Park, the Statue of Liberty “
The State Department criticized UNESCO for pursuing “divisive social and cultural agendas” and prioritizing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, which it described as a “globalist ideology that conflicts with our America First foreign policy.”
It also condemned UNESCO’s 2011 decision to admit the ‘State of Palestine’ as a member, calling it “contrary to U.S. policy” and a driver of “anti-Israel sentiment” within the organization.
This marks the second U.S. withdrawal from UNESCO under Trump, who first exited the agency in 2018 during his initial term, only for the U.S. to rejoin in 2023 under the Biden administration.
The decision reflects ongoing tensions over UNESCO’s priorities and their alignment with U.S. foreign policy goals.
