In a presidential memorandum released by the White House on Wednesday evening, Trump said the decision followed a review of “organizations, conventions, and treaties that are contrary to the interests of the United States.”
United States President Donald Trump has announced plans to withdraw the US from 66 United Nations and international organisations, including key bodies focused on climate change, peace, and democracy.
In a presidential memorandum released by the White House on Wednesday evening, Trump said the decision followed a review of “organizations, conventions, and treaties that are contrary to the interests of the United States.”
He added that the US would cease participation in these bodies and cut all related funding.
The White House list includes 35 non-UN organisations, such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Notably, the IPCC is actually a UN organisation that convenes leading scientists to assess climate change and provide reports to guide policymakers.
The announcement also covers 31 UN entities, including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the UN Democracy Fund, and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), which works on maternal and child health.
Several of the targeted UN bodies also focus on protecting vulnerable groups during armed conflicts, such as the UN Office of the Special Representative for Children in Armed Conflict.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said the organisation expected to respond to the announcement by Thursday morning.
Despite his stated goal of reducing US involvement in UN forums, Trump has previously used the country’s international influence to shape outcomes.
In 2017, he threatened to cut aid to nations that supported a UN resolution condemning the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, the US can veto measures it opposesa power it has used repeatedly, including to block efforts to end Israel’s war on Gaza before mediating a ceasefire last year.
Since beginning his second term in January 2025, Trump has already withdrawn the US from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Paris climate agreement, and the UN Human Rights Council.
These three withdrawals had also occurred during his first term but were later reversed by President Joe Biden’s administration.
The US exit from the WHO will take effect on January 22, 2026, one year after the White House order. Between 2024 and 2025, the US contributed $261 million to the WHO, about 18 percent of its funding for global health initiatives, including tuberculosis control and pandemic preparedness.
The Trump administration has also maintained a US funding ban on the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, which began under Biden.
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