Trump to pull U.S. out of UNESCO again
U.S. President Donald Trump has decided to pull the United States out of the "woke" and "divisive" U.N. culture and education agency UNESCO, the White House said, repeating a move he took in his first term that was reversed by Joe Biden.
The withdrawal from the Paris-based agency, which was founded after World War Two to promote peace through international cooperation in education, science, and culture, will take effect at the end of next year.
The move is in line with the Trump administration's broader "America-first" foreign policy, which includes a deep skepticism of multilateral groups, including the United Nations, the World Trade Organization and even the NATO alliance.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is best known for designating World Heritage Sites, including the U.S. Grand Canyon and Egypt's pyramids.
It lists 26 sites in the United States, including the Statue of Liberty, on its World Heritage List which highlights 1,248 global locations of "outstanding universal value."
Washington has had a troubled relationship with UNESCO over the years.
It was a founding member in 1945 but first withdrew in 1984 to protest alleged financial mismanagement and perceived anti-U.S. bias during the Cold War.
It returned in 2003 under President George W. Bush, who said UNESCO had undertaken needed reforms, but in 2011 the Obama administration announced it was stopping funding for the agency following its vote to grant the Palestinians full membership.
Trump's first administration announced in 2017 it was quitting after accusing UNESCO of anti-Israeli bias, with Washington owing $542 million in dues, before former President Biden reversed the decision in 2023.
