The United States has announced it will withdraw from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) by the end of 2026, citing concerns over the agency’s alleged anti-Israel stance and promotion of “divisive social and cultural causes.”
U.S. Department of State Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said on Tuesday that remaining in UNESCO was “not in the national interest,” echoing criticisms first raised during former President Donald Trump’s initial decision to pull out of the organization in 2017. That decision had later been reversed by President Joe Biden.
“UNESCO maintains an outsized focus on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, a globalist, ideological agenda… at odds with our America First foreign policy,” Bruce stated, further describing the body’s 2011 decision to admit Palestine as a member as “highly problematic” and a contributor to anti-Israel sentiment.
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UNESCO, a UN agency focused on promoting global peace through cultural, educational, and scientific cooperation, has now faced U.S. withdrawal three times. The first occurred in 1984 under President Ronald Reagan, before Washington rejoined in 2003. Trump’s administration pulled out again in 2017, and while Biden restored U.S. membership, the latest exit under the current administration will become effective in December 2026.
In a social media post, Bruce emphasized that future U.S. participation in global organizations “must make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous.”
UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay responded with “deep regret,” saying the decision undermines the principles of multilateralism and could affect American partners working with the organization. However, she noted that the move had been anticipated.
“UNESCO’s overall budget has steadily increased,” Azoulay said, adding that the U.S. now contributes just 8% of the agency’s funding, down significantly from previous levels. Structural reforms and increased support from other member states and private donors have helped buffer the agency financially.
“The U.S. is and will always be welcome at UNESCO,” Azoulay stated, adding that cooperation with American academic, private, and non-profit institutions would continue, alongside political dialogue with Washington.
The withdrawal adds another chapter to the often tense relationship between the United States and multilateral institutions, and could have wider implications for global cultural, educational, and scientific collaboration.
