The United States will withdraw from 66 international organisations and halt participation in a wide range of global bodies under a sweeping directive issued by President Donald Trump, marking a significant escalation of his administration’s effort to reshape America’s global engagement.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the decision follows a comprehensive review ordered under Executive Order 14199, which assessed all international organisations, conventions and treaties receiving US funding or support to determine whether they align with national interests.
Posting on X, Sec. Rubio said the withdrawals were necessary to end US backing for bodies he described as “anti-American, useless, or wasteful”.
“Today, President Trump announced the US is leaving 66 anti-American, useless, or wasteful international organisations. Review of additional international organisations remains ongoing,” he wrote.
“These withdrawals keep a key promise President Trump made to Americans — we will stop subsidising globalist bureaucrats who act against our interests. The Trump administration will always put America and Americans first.”
In a presidential memorandum dated January 7, President Trump said he had considered the Secretary of State’s findings and, after consultations with his Cabinet, determined that continued participation in dozens of institutions was “contrary to the interests of the United States”.
He has directed all executive departments and agencies to take immediate steps to effect the withdrawals as soon as possible. For United Nations-linked bodies, this will involve ending participation or funding to the extent permitted by law.
The administration argues that many of the organisations have become ideologically driven, poorly managed or detached from national priorities, posing risks to US sovereignty, economic prosperity and democratic accountability.
Among those targeted are a broad range of non-UN bodies and UN entities involved in climate policy, renewable energy, migration, gender equality, biodiversity, development financing and peacebuilding.
Sec. Rubio said it was no longer acceptable for American taxpayers to fund institutions that deliver little return while advancing agendas at odds with US interests, signalling an end to what the administration describes as unchecked global bureaucratic expansion.
The review of US participation in international organisations remains ongoing, leaving open the possibility of further withdrawals from conventions and treaties.
The administration said the United States would continue to engage internationally where cooperation clearly benefits Americans, but would withdraw support from institutions deemed irrelevant or hostile to national interests.
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