Trump Pulls U.S. Out of UNESCO Again: What It Means for Global Culture

PARIS — The United States will withdraw from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as President Donald Trump continues his pattern of pulling the country out of international institutions he has long criticized, according to two European diplomats.

This decision deals a blow to the Paris-based agency, which was established after World War II to promote peace through international cooperation in education, science, and culture. The New York Post also reported on the U.S. withdrawal, citing a White House official.

During his first term, Trump took similar steps by withdrawing from the World Health Organization, the UN Human Rights Council, the Paris Climate Agreement, and the Iran nuclear deal.

After taking office in 2021, President Joe Biden reversed these decisions, bringing the U.S. back into UNESCO, the WHO, and the climate agreement.

With Trump now back in the White House, the U.S. is once again exiting these global organizations. He has already decided to withdraw from the WHO and halt funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) as part of a broader review of U.S. participation in UN agencies, which is set to conclude in August.

UNESCO is best known for designating World Heritage Sites, including the Grand Canyon in the United States and the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria.

The United States was an original member of UNESCO when it was founded in 1945 but first withdrew in 1984, citing alleged financial mismanagement and a perceived anti-U.S. bias. The country rejoined almost two decades later in 2003 under President George W. Bush, who noted that the agency had implemented the necessary reforms.

UNESCO’s full name is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

The United States currently contributes about 8 percent of UNESCO’s total budget, a decrease from roughly 20 percent when Trump first withdrew the country from the agency during his previous term. (Reuters)