EditTrump withdraws U.S. from UNESCO for second time, costing agency millions in funding
UNESCO chief expressed deep regret over the decision but said the agency was prepared for the fallout
President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday (22 July) the United States’ second withdrawal from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), reversing a decision made by his predecessor, Joe Biden, to rejoin the Paris-based agency.
The move, which echoes Trump’s first-term exit in 2017, will take effect on 31 December 2026, and is expected to cost UNESCO approximately $50-60 million annually in funding, dealing a financial blow to the agency’s global programs in education, science, and culture.
The decision reflects Trump’s broader scepticism of multilateral institutions, with the White House and State Department accusing UNESCO of promoting a “globalist, ideological agenda” that clashes with the administration’s “America First” foreign policy.
“President Trump has decided to withdraw the United States from UNESCO – which supports woke, divisive cultural and social causes that are totally out-of-step with the commonsense policies that Americans voted for in November,” White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said in a statement. The State Department also cited UNESCO’s 2011 admission of Palestine as a member state as a key grievance, claiming it fuelled “anti-Israel rhetoric” within the organisation.
UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay expressed deep regret over the decision but said the agency was prepared for the financial and operational fallout. “This was expected, and UNESCO has prepared for it,” Azoulay said, noting that the U.S. contribution accounts for roughly 8% of the agency’s $674 million biennial budget (approximately $54 million annually, based on 2024-2025 figures).
With the U.S. previously accumulating $619 million in arrears during its first withdrawal (2017-2023), the renewed exit could push UNESCO’s financial losses into the tens of millions annually, potentially disrupting programs like Holocaust education, literacy initiatives, and World Heritage Site preservation.
Financial impact and UNESCO’s response
The U.S. withdrawal is projected to reduce UNESCO’s budget by $50-60 million per year, based on its 8% contribution and factoring in inflation and program growth. This loss, while significant, is mitigated by UNESCO’s efforts to diversify funding since Trump’s first exit.
Azoulay highlighted that contributions from member states like Japan, China, and European nations, alongside private partnerships, have reduced reliance on U.S. funds. Nonetheless, UNESCO officials acknowledged that U.S.-financed programs, such as teacher training in sub-Saharan Africa and cultural heritage protection in conflict zones, may face cuts or delays.
Founded in 1945 to foster peace through international cooperation, UNESCO is best known for designating World Heritage Sites, including the Grand Canyon in the U.S. and Syria’s ancient city of Palmyra. The agency also leads global efforts in Holocaust education, literacy, and combating antisemitism- initiatives Azoulay said are at odds with U.S. claims of bias.
“The reasons put forward by the United States contradict the reality of UNESCO’s efforts,” she said, pointing to consensus-driven statements with Israel and Palestine over the past eight years.
A pattern of withdrawals
Trump’s decision aligns with his broader retreat from international bodies, mirroring his first-term exits from UNESCO, the World Health Organization, the Paris climate accord, and the U.N. Human Rights Council. Biden’s administration rejoined UNESCO in 2023, pledging to repay $619 million in arrears – a process now at risk. The State Department justified the latest withdrawal by citing UNESCO’s admission of Palestine, a move it claims undermines U.S. policy and fosters anti-Israel sentiment. Israel, a close U.S. ally, welcomed the decision, with officials echoing concerns about the agency’s stance.
UNESCO, however, insists that political tensions have eased significantly since 2017. “The situation has changed profoundly,” Azoulay said, emphasizing the agency’s role as a “rare forum for consensus” on issues like cultural preservation and education.
Diplomats at UNESCO privately viewed the withdrawal as politically inevitable, given Trump’s campaign rhetoric and Biden’s reversal of his earlier exit.
The U.S. has a checkered history with UNESCO, having withdrawn in 1984 under President Ronald Reagan over alleged financial mismanagement and anti-U.S. bias, only to return in 2003 under George W. Bush after reforms. The current exit, set to take effect in 2026, risks further straining transatlantic ties and casts a shadow over UNESCO’s mission, raising questions about the future of multilateral cooperation in an era of resurgent nationalism.
Caption: UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay speaks during a conference entitled `A Word for History` at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) headquarters in Paris, 19 October 2024. EPA/CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON
Updated: July 22, 2025 - 16:07
