U.S. Continues to Withdraw from the United Nations with its Recent Withdrawal from UNESCO

Just recently, on Tuesday, the State Department announced that by the end of 2026, the United States would no longer be a part of UNESCO.

UNESCO stands for the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Based out of Paris, France, the organization is famous for designating World Heritage sites, including Yosemite National Park in California. UNESCO also has vital programs that are educational, promoting sex education, literacy, clean water, and equal rights for women. One of the best-known initiatives is the World Heritage Education Programme for youth. The organization also sets standards on a range of issues, including ocean protection and the ethics of A.I.

This is the third U.N. agency that the U.S., under President Trump, has left this year. Towards the start of the year, President Trump signed an executive order pulling the U.S. out of the United Nations Human Rights Council.

“I’ve always felt that the U.N. has tremendous potential. It’s not living up to that potential right now,” he said Tuesday afternoon in February at a White House signing ceremony.

Trump also pulled out of the UNHRC during his first term as president.

However, the reason for the withdrawals is somewhat logical. U.S. leaders from both parties have noticed the UNHRC’s bias against Israel during the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, which has been occurring since 1948. Since the U.S. is allied with Israel, it is natural to pull out of the organization.

The U.S. clearly sides with Israel in the conflict because the same order pulling out of the UNHRC also cut future funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, which works in providing aid to Palestinians.

This order also comes the same day as Trump’s first meeting with a foreign leader since being sworn in in January. Trump met with Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu in the White House.

Trump’s decisiveness in defending Israel shows the growing connection between the two nations and, perhaps, a faster resolution to the Israeli-Palestine conflict.

However, nations should take into account the United Nations’ organizations that may have biases against particular groups and countries.