Trump Orders U.S. Withdrawal From 66 International Organisations, Including 31 UN Bodies
The United States President Donald J. Trump has signed a Presidential Memorandum directing the U.S. to withdraw from 66 international organizations, including 35 non–United Nations bodies and 31 United Nations entities.
Titled: "Memorandum For The Heads Of Executive Departments And Agencies," published on The White House website, President Trump declared that continued participation in those groups no longer serves American interests.
The directive follows a comprehensive review ordered under Executive Order 14199, signed on February 4, 2025, which required the Secretary of State to assess U.S. involvement in all international intergovernmental organizations, conventions, and treaties receiving American funding or support.
According to the memorandum, the Secretary of State submitted findings that were reviewed by the president and his Cabinet before the final determination was made.
“After deliberating with my Cabinet, [I] have determined that it is contrary to the interests of the United States to remain a member of, participate in, or otherwise provide support to the organizations listed,” Trump stated in the memorandum.
Under the order, all executive departments and agencies are instructed to take “immediate steps” to effectuate U.S. withdrawal as soon as legally permissible. For United Nations entities, withdrawal will involve ceasing participation or funding to the extent allowed by law.
The list of affected non-UN organizations spans a wide range of policy areas, including climate change, energy, environmental conservation, democracy promotion, cultural preservation, cybersecurity, and regional cooperation.
Among them are the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the International Renewable Energy Agency, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and the Freedom Online Coalition.
The memorandum also orders withdrawal from several regional and security-related groups, including the Global Counterterrorism Forum, the International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law, and the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia.
On the United Nations side, the administration directed the U.S. to cease participation in or funding for multiple UN offices, commissions, and programs, including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, UN Women, the UN Population Fund, UN Conference on Trade and Development, and several offices focused on human rights, peacebuilding, and development.
Other affected UN bodies include the International Law Commission, the Peacebuilding Fund, UN Water, UN Oceans, and the UN University system.
The memorandum emphasizes that the review process is ongoing and signals that additional organizations or agreements could be targeted in the future.
“My review of further findings of the Secretary of State remains ongoing,” Trump wrote.
Implementation of the order will be carried out by the State Department, which is authorized to issue additional guidance to federal agencies as needed. The memorandum also specifies that the directive does not override existing legal authorities or budgetary controls and does not create enforceable legal rights for any party.
The decision marks one of the most sweeping withdrawals from international institutions by the United States in modern history and reflects the Trump administration’s renewed “America First” approach to foreign policy, prioritizing national sovereignty, cost reduction, and reassessment of multilateral commitments.
The Secretary of State has been directed to publish the memorandum in the Federal Register.
Full List of Organizations from Which the United States Shall Withdraw. (a) Non-United Nations Organizations:
(i) 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy Compact;
(ii) Colombo Plan Council;
(iii) Commission for Environmental Cooperation;
(iv) Education Cannot Wait;
(v) European Centre of Excellence for Countering
Hybrid Threats;
(vi) Forum of European National Highway Research Laboratories;
(vii) Freedom Online Coalition;
(viii) Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund;
(ix) Global Counterterrorism Forum;
(x) Global Forum on Cyber Expertise;
(xi) Global Forum on Migration and Development;
(xii) Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research;
(xiii) Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals, and Sustainable Development;
(xiv) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change;
(xv) Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services;
(xvi) International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property;
(xvii) International Cotton Advisory Committee;
(xviii) International Development Law Organization;
(xix) International Energy Forum;
(xx) International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies;
(xxi) International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance;
(xxii) International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law;
(xxiii) International Lead and Zinc Study Group;
(xxiv) International Renewable Energy Agency;
(xxv) International Solar Alliance;
(xxvi) International Tropical Timber Organization;
(xxvii) International Union for Conservation of Nature;
(xxviii) Pan American Institute of Geography and History;
(xxix) Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation;
(Bleep) Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combatting Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia;
(xxxi) Regional Cooperation Council;
(xxxii) Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century;
(xxxiii) Science and Technology Center in Ukraine;
(xxxiv) Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme; and
(xxxv) Venice Commission of the Council of Europe.
(b) United Nations (UN) Organizations:
(i) Department of Economic and Social Affairs;
(ii) UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) — Economic Commission for Africa;
(iii) ECOSOC — Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean;
(iv) ECOSOC — Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific;
(v) ECOSOC — Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia;
(vi) International Law Commission;
(vii) International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals;
(viii) International Trade Centre;
(ix) Office of the Special Adviser on Africa;
(x) Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Children in Armed Conflict;
(xi) Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict;
(xii) Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence Against Children;
(xiii) Peacebuilding Commission;
(xiv) Peacebuilding Fund;
(xv) Permanent Forum on People of African Descent;
(xvi) UN Alliance of Civilizations;
(xvii) UN Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries;
(xviii) UN Conference on Trade and Development;
(xix) UN Democracy Fund;
(xx) UN Energy;
(xxi) UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women;
(xxii) UN Framework Convention on Climate Change;
(xxiii) UN Human Settlements Programme;
(xxiv) UN Institute for Training and Research;
(xxv) UN Oceans;
(xxvi) UN Population Fund;
(xxvii) UN Register of Conventional Arms;
(xxviii) UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination;
(xxix) UN System Staff College;
(Bleep) UN Water; and
(xxxi) UN
Comments
Post a Comment