Trump Orders Broad U.S. Withdrawal From UN and International Bodies, Citing National Interest

U.S. President Donald Trump has directed all federal departments and agencies to initiate withdrawal from dozens of United Nations linked and other international organisations, marking a significant recalibration of Washington’s multilateral engagement.

In a memorandum issued by the White House, President Trump stated that continued membership and financial support for more than 60 international bodies is no longer aligned with America’s national interests. The directive follows a comprehensive review mandated last year under Executive Order 14199, which instructed the Secretary of State to assess all international organisations, treaties and conventions to which the United States belongs or provides funding.

According to the memorandum, the review was completed in consultation with the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations and formally submitted to the President. Following deliberations with his Cabinet, Trump concluded that the United States should cease participation in, membership of, and financial support for a wide range of multilateral institutions.

The President has now instructed all executive departments and agencies to take immediate steps to implement the withdrawals “as soon as possible.” In the case of United Nations entities, the directive specifies that withdrawal will entail ending participation and funding to the extent permitted under U.S. law.

The scope of the planned disengagement is extensive, covering organisations involved in climate change, environmental protection, renewable energy, democracy promotion, development, gender equality, peacebuilding and multilateral diplomacy. Among the non-UN bodies targeted are the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), and the International Solar Alliance.

The memorandum also lists several UN bodies and programmes from which the United States intends to withdraw, including UN Women, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Peacebuilding Commission and Fund, and the UN Economic Commission for Africa. In addition, a number of UN offices focused on children in armed conflict, sexual violence, violence against children, and people of African descent are affected.

The White House clarified that the directive does not imply an immediate or automatic exit from all listed organisations, noting that withdrawals must comply with existing legal obligations and budgetary processes. It also indicated that the broader review of U.S. participation in international organisations remains ongoing.

The move underscores a renewed emphasis by the Trump administration on sovereignty and selective engagement, with potentially far-reaching implications for global governance, multilateral financing and U.S. influence within international institutions.