U.S. President Donald Trump has announced plans to pull the United States out of 66 international organizations, including 31 United Nations bodies, and to terminate all related funding, according to a presidential memorandum released Wednesday evening.
The White House said a review concluded that participation in certain organizations, treaties and compacts “conflicts with U.S. interests.” The move covers 35 non-UN organizations—among them the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and a democracy-assistance body—and 31 UN entities, including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the UN Democracy Fund, and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA). Many of the listed agencies work on climate, public health, humanitarian relief and protections for children in conflict.
Trump said U.S. participation and funding would be halted. UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the organization would issue a formal response. The announcement follows earlier exits during Trump’s second term, including from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Paris climate agreement, and the UN Human Rights Council. The United States is scheduled to complete its WHO departure on January 22.
Between 2024 and 2025, the U.S. contributed $261 million to WHO—about 18% of the agency’s total funding for major health emergencies, including tuberculosis and COVID-19, according to administration figures. The White House also said it is maintaining the freeze on U.S. funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
Analysts warned the decision could further constrain U.S. engagement in global crisis response and long-running initiatives on climate and public health. The administration did not immediately provide a full implementation timeline beyond the WHO exit date.