On July 22, 2025, the U.S. Department of State announced President Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from UNESCO by December 31, 2026, marking the third time (after 1984 and 2017) that the U.S. has exited the organization it helped create in 1945 AP News. The withdrawal follows a 2023 reentry under President Biden, aimed at restoring American influence in UNESCO after previous withdrawals over concerns of financial mismanagement, political bias, and membership disputes BILD.

The stated reason for this latest exit centers on what the administration terms UNESCO’s endorsement of “woke, divisive cultural and social causes”—including support for Palestinian membership and perceived anti-Israel bias—coupled with a broader critique of globalist agendas misaligned with an “America First” agenda Omni. White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly emphasized that U.S. participation in international organizations must focus on national interests and conform to domestic political values CBS 8.

UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay responded by expressing regret but said the organization anticipated this move. Despite U.S. funding representing roughly 8% of UNESCO’s budget, compared to over 20% in earlier years, she stressed that the agency had secured diverse funding and undergone reforms to maintain stability El País.

International reaction was mixed. French President Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed his country’s strong support for UNESCO and lamented the loss of U.S. leadership in areas such as heritage protection, education, and science El País. Israeli officials, however, welcomed the decision—seeing it as a stance against anti-Israel sentiment within the agency CBS 6 News Richmond WTVR.

Key Points

• Withdrawal set for December 2026; the third U.S. exit, following 1984 and 2017 Reuters.
• Reason cited: UNESCO’s alleged anti-Israel bias, “divisive” cultural agendas, and misalignment with national priorities The Times of India.
• Budget impact: U.S. contributes ~8% after diversifying funding sources Reuters.
• Global pushback: Concerns raised about U.S. retreat from multilateral leadership Omni.
• Pro-Israel reaction: Supportive statements from Israeli officials appreciating the move El PaísReuters.

Implications & Outlook

• U.S. Influence Decline: Loss of American leadership in UNESCO may limit opportunities in heritage listing, global education initiatives, and science diplomacy aligned with U.S. partners.
• Diplomatic Signal: The withdrawal aligns U.S. foreign policy with domestic conservative values and sets a precedent for using membership as leverage for international conformity.
• Budgetary and Operational Effects: With careful financial planning, UNESCO is expected to absorb the loss, but smaller-scale programs may see delays or local shifts in leadership.
• Geopolitical Realignment: European entities may double down in UNESCO fields; China and other powers may fill vacuum in influence over UNESCO priorities.
• Domestic Political Debate: The move will likely spark internal contention—supporters seeing it as principled, opponents warning it undermines U.S. global engagement.

On July 22, 2025, the U.S. Department of State announced President Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from UNESCO by December 31, 2026, marking the third time (after 1984 and 2017) that the U.S. has exited the organization it helped create in 1945 AP News. The withdrawal follows a 2023 reentry under President Biden,