Trump pulls US out of UN cultural agency UNESCO for second time
Listen to article
President Donald Trump has decided to pull the United States out of the "woke" and "divisive" UN culture and education agency UNESCO, the White House said on Tuesday, 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.
Also Read: UN adopts Pakistan-sponsored resolution on 'peaceful dispute settlement'
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said UNESCO "supports woke, divisive cultural and social causes that are totally out-of-step with the commonsense policies that Americans voted for."
The State Department accused UNESCO of supporting "a globalist, ideological agenda for international development at odds with our America First foreign policy". It said its decision to admit the Palestinians as a member state was "highly problematic, contrary to US policy, and contributed to the proliferation of anti-Israel rhetoric."
UNESCO chief Audrey Azoulay said she deeply regretted Trump's decision, but it was "expected, and UNESCO has prepared for it".
Soutien indéfectible à l'UNESCO, protecteur universel de la science, de l'Océan, de l'éducation, de la culture et du patrimoine mondial. Le retrait des États-Unis ne fera pas faiblir notre engagement aux côtés de celles et ceux qui portent ce combat. — Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) July 22, 2025
Posting on X, French President Emmanuel Macron professed "unwavering support" for the "universal protector" of world heritage and said the US move would not weaken France's commitment for UNESCO. UNESCO officials said the US withdrawal would have some limited impact on US-financed programs.
Azoulay said UNESCO had diversified funding sources, receiving only about 8% of its budget from Washington.
UNESCO was one of several international bodies Trump withdrew from during his first term, along with the World Health Organization, the Paris Agreement climate change accord and the UN Human Rights Council. During his second term, he has
largely reinstated those steps. Trump's pick to be his UN envoy, Mike Waltz, said this month the United Nations needs reform while expressing confidence that "we can make the UN great again."
Israel praises US 'moral support and leadership'
Israel welcomed the US decision with its UN, ambassador Danny Danon accusing UNESCO of "consistent misguided anti-Israel bias."
In a post on X, Israel's foreign minister, Gideon Sa'ar, thanked Washington for its "moral support and leadership" and said that "Singling out Israel and politicization by member states must end, in this and all professional UN agencies."
We welcome the US administration's decision to withdraw from UNESCO.
This is a necessary step, designed to promote justice and Israel's right for fair treatment in the UN system, a right which has often been trampled due to politicization in this
arena.
Singling out Israel and… — Gideon Sa'ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) July 22, 2025
UNESCO officials said all relevant agency statements had been agreed with both Israel and the Palestinians over the past eight years.
Azoulay said the US had given the same reasons for its pullout as it had seven years ago "even though the situation has changed profoundly, political tensions have receded, and UNESCO today constitutes a rare forum for consensus on concrete and action-oriented multilateralism."
"These claims also contradict the reality of UNESCO's efforts, particularly in the field of Holocaust education and the fight against antisemitism," she added.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is best known for designating World Heritage Sites, including the US 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."
Read: Monsoon devastation continues as death toll reaches 242
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-US 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.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
2 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Global monitor seeks to avert Gaza famine
Listen to article Gaza is slipping into famine, the UN aid agencies warned on Tuesday, as the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory said the Palestinian death toll in the nearly 22-month war had surpassed 60,000. The World Food Programme, UNICEF and the Food and Agriculture Organisation warned that time was running out and that Gaza was "on the brink of a full-scale famine". "We need to flood Gaza with large-scale food aid, immediately and without obstruction, and keep it flowing each and every day to prevent mass starvation," WFP executive director Cindy McCain said in a joint statement from the agencies. This week, Israel launched daily pauses in its military operations in some parts of Gaza and opened secure routes to enable UN and other aid agencies to distribute food in the densely packed territory of more than two million people. However, Israeli strikes continued overnight, killing 30 people in the Nuseirat refugee camp, according to Gaza's civil defence agency — and experts warn a humanitarian catastrophe of historic proportions was imminent. "The worst-case scenario of famine is now unfolding in the Gaza Strip," said the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Initiative (IPC), a coalition of monitors tasked by the UN to warn of impending crises. The IPC, whose advice is followed by UN agencies, stopped short of declaring a state of famine, but made clear the situation is critical. Britain, France and Germany could send their foreign ministers to Israel next week, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said, adding: "We assume that the Israeli government is willing to acknowledge that something must be done now." In a statement released ahead of the IPC report, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office accused Hamas of distorting casualty figures and of looting food designated for civilians
Express Tribune
2 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Hamas asked to disarm, give up Gaza
Netanyahu said Hamas should disarm and leave the territory for lasting peace. PHOTO: FILE Listen to article Arab countries, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, joined calls on Tuesday for Hamas to disarm and end its rule of Gaza, in a bid to end the devastating war in the Palestinian territory. Seventeen countries plus the European Union and Arab League threw their weight behind a seven-page text agreed at a United Nations conference on reviving the two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians. "In the context of ending the war in Gaza, Hamas must end its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority, with international engagement and support, in line with the objective of a sovereign and independent Palestinian State," said the declaration. It followed a call Monday by the Palestinian delegation at the United Nations for both Israel and Hamas to leave Gaza, allowing the Palestinian Authority to administer the coastal territory. The text also condemned the deadly Hamas attacks against Israel of October 7, 2023, which launched the war. France, which co-chaired the conference with Saudi Arabia, called the declaration "both historic and unprecedented". "For the first time, Arab countries and those in the Middle East condemn Hamas, condemn October 7, call for the disarmament of Hamas, call for its exclusion from Palestinian governance, and clearly express their intention to normalise relations with Israel in the future," said French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot. The text, co-signed by France, Britain and Canada among other western nations, also called for the possible deployment of foreign forces to stabilise Gaza after the end of hostilities. Israel and its ally the United States did not take part in the meeting. "We supported the deployment of a temporary international stabilization mission upon invitation by the Palestinian Authority and under the aegis of the United Nations and in line with UN principles, building on existing UN capacities, to be mandated by the UN Security Council, with appropriate regional and international support," said the declaration. The document was issued at the second day of the conference in New York at which Britain announced it may recognise a Palestinian state in September. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said London would proceed with recognition if Israel did not fulfil conditions including implementing a ceasefire in Gaza and allowing in sufficient aid.
Business Recorder
3 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Oil steady after big gains on Trump's Russia ultimatum
BEIJING: Oil prices ticked up in early trading on Wednesday after rising more than 3% in the previous session as potential supply shortages came into focus after U.S. President Donald Trump gave Moscow an abbreviated deadline toward ending the war in Ukraine. Brent crude futures rose 14 cents, or 0.19%, to $72.65 a barrel by 0048 GMT while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude climbed 2 cents, or 0.03%, to $69.23 a barrel. Both contracts had settled at their highest since June 20 on Tuesday. On Tuesday, Trump said he would start imposing measures on Russia, including 100% secondary tariffs on its trading partners, if it did not make progress on ending the war within 10-12 days, moving up an earlier 50-day deadline. 'Effective secondary 100% tariffs would lead to a dramatic shift in the oil market. A number of key buyers of Russian oil would likely be reluctant to continue purchases, particularly large U.S. trading partners,' ING analysts said in a note. 'While this gives OPEC+ room to start unwinding additional tranches of supply cuts, it would still leave the market in deficit under a worst-case scenario.' The U.S. had warned China, the largest buyer of Russian oil, that it could face huge tariffs if it continues buying, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told a news conference in Stockholm where the U.S. was holding trade talks with the EU. JP Morgan analysts said in a note that while China was not likely to comply with U.S. sanctions, India has signaled it would do so, potentially putting 2.3 million barrels per day of Russian oil exports at risk. The U.S. and EU averted a trade war with a deal that included 15% U.S. tariffs on European imports, easing concerns about the impact of trade tensions on economic growth and offering further support to oil prices. In Venezuela, foreign partners of state oil company PDVSA are still waiting for authorisations from the U.S. to operate in the sanctioned country after talks on the subject last week, which could return some supply to the market, potentially easing pressure for prices to rise.
