HOUSTON, July 22 (Xinhua) -- The Trump administration said Tuesday that the United States will exit the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) by the end of 2026, the latest move in U.S. President Donald Trump's ongoing efforts to cut off U.S. ties with multilateral organizations he views as misaligned with his "America First" agenda.
WHY IS U.S. LEAVING UNESCO AGAIN?
According to a statement by the U.S. State Department, the withdrawal was due to what Washington saw as the UN cultural agency's policy to "advance divisive social and cultural causes" especially over the Israel-Palestine conflicts.
"UNESCO's decision to admit the 'State of Palestine' as a member state is highly problematic, contrary to U.S. policy, and contributed to the proliferation of anti-Israel rhetoric within the organization," the statement said.
"Continued involvement in UNESCO is not in the national interest of the United States," it said, adding the UN body "maintains an outsized focus on the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, a globalist, ideological agenda for international development at odds with our America First foreign policy."
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly charged in a statement that UNESCO "supports woke, divisive cultural and social causes that are totally out-of-step with the commonsense policies that Americans voted for in November."
"This President will always put America First and ensure our country's membership in all international organizations aligns with our national interests," Kelly said.
HOW ARE OTHER PARTIES RESPONDING?
In response, UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said that while Washington's announcement to withdraw from UNESCO once again was "regrettable," it had been "anticipated, and UNESCO has prepared for it."
The decision, which will take effect at the end of December 2026, contradicts the fundamental principles of multilateralism, she said in a statement.
UNESCO has been and will remain "a rare forum for consensus on concrete and action-oriented multilateralism," she stressed.
Azoulay said the White House's accusations "contradict the reality of UNESCO's efforts, particularly in the field of Holocaust education and the fight against antisemitism."
The UNESCO chief also warned that the U.S. withdrawal might affect foremost UNESCO's partners in the United States, particularly those seeking site inscription on the World Heritage List, Creative City status and University Chairs.
"The reasons put forward by the United States to withdraw from the Organization are the same as seven years ago even though the situation has changed profoundly, political tensions have receded," Azoulay said.
According to the UNESCO chief, the organization has undertaken major structural reforms and diversified its funding sources in recent years, offsetting the decreasing financial contribution of the United States.
"In spite of President Donald Trump's first withdrawal in 2017, UNESCO stepped up its efforts to take action wherever its mission could contribute to peace and demonstrated the pivotal nature of its mandate," she added.
French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that France will maintain "unwavering support for UNESCO."
"Unwavering support for UNESCO, a universal guardian of science, the Ocean, education, culture, and world heritage," Macron wrote on X. "The withdrawal of the United States will not weaken our commitment alongside those who lead this fight."
U.S. lawmaker Gregory Meeks, ranking member and former chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, slammed the White House's decision as "reckless" and "counterproductive."
"Once again, this administration is undermining U.S. global leadership," Meeks said in a statement.
WHEN DID U.S. WITHDRAW FROM UNESCO BEFORE?
This will be the third time that Washington has left UNESCO, and the second time under Trump.
In 1984, the Ronald Reagan administration pulled the United States out of the agency, citing what it called the UN body's ideological tilt toward the former Soviet Union against the West. It returned in 2003 under then-President George W. Bush.
In 2011, the Barack Obama administration cut off funding for UNESCO after its member countries approved a Palestinian bid for full membership in the body.
In 2017, Trump's first administration announced it was quitting UNESCO after accusing it of anti-Israeli bias, with Washington owing over 500 million U.S. dollars in dues, before former President Joe Biden reversed the decision in 2023.
In February, Trump ordered a 90-day review of the U.S. membership in UNESCO, focusing on "how and if UNESCO supports United States interests" and "any anti-Semitism or anti-Israel sentiment within the organization."
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce suggested later on Tuesday that the United States could sever its relationship with more international bodies as reviews are still underway to evaluate if "continued U.S. participation in international organizations will focus on advancing American interests with clarity and conviction."
Since the start of his second term in January, the Trump administration has announced its withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on climate change, the World Health Organization, and the United Nations Human Rights Council under the so-called "America First" agenda.
UNESCO has 194 member states and oversees more than 1,200 World Heritage sites -- 26 of which are located in the United States, including the Statue of Liberty, Yosemite National Park and Grand Canyon National Park.
Sites that are added to the World Heritage list gain access to international funding to help with protection and conservation. ■
