US to withdraw from UNESCO again, this time due to its support for ‘woke' causes
'President Trump has decided to withdraw the United States from UNESCO – which supports woke, divisive cultural and social causes that are totally out-of-step with the commonsense policies that Americans voted for in November,' White House deputy spokesperson Anna Kelly told the New York Post.
UNESCO and the White House did not immediately confirm the US move.
The move, which will take place at the end of December 2026, is a blow to the Paris-based agency, founded after World War II to promote peace through international cooperation in education, science, and culture.
President Donald Trump had already pulled out from UNESCO during his first term in addition to quitting the World Health Organization, the UN Human Rights Council, a global climate change accord and the 2015 Iran nuclear deal
Joe Biden reversed those decisions after taking office in 2021, returning the US to UNESCO, the WHO and the climate agreement.
With Trump now back in the White House, the US is once again withdrawing from these global bodies.
UNESCO is best known for designating World Heritage Sites, including the Grand Canyon in the US and the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria.
The US initially joined UNESCO at its founding in 1945 but withdrew for the first time in 1984 in protest against alleged financial mismanagement and perceived anti-US bias, returning almost 20 years later in 2003 under President George W. Bush, who then said the agency had undertaken needed reforms.
UNESCO's full name is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
The United States provides about 8 percent of UNESCO's total budget, down from about 20 percent at the time Trump first pulled the United States out of the agency.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
France 24
an hour ago
- France 24
Outrage grows in France over US plan to destroy contraceptives
The contraceptives -- which were intended for some of the world's poorest countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa -- were purchased by the US foreign aid agency USAID under former president Joe Biden. His successor Donald Trump's administration, which has slashed foreign aid and pursued anti-abortion policies, confirmed earlier this month that it plans to destroy the contraceptives, which have been stored in a warehouse in the Belgian city of Geel. According to several media reports, the unexpired products were planned to be incinerated in France by the end of July by a company that specialises in destroying medical waste. AFP has not been able to confirm this from an official source. Sarah Durocher, the head of the French women's rights group Family Planning, told AFP that some contraceptives have already left the Belgian warehouse. "We were informed 36 hours ago that the removal of these boxes of contraceptives had begun," Durocher said on Thursday. "We do not know where these trucks are now -- or whether they have arrived in France," she added. "We call on all incineration companies not to destroy the contraceptives and to oppose this insane decision." 'Absurdity' Since Trump replaced Biden in the White House in January, his administration has dismantled USAID, with help from his former adviser, the world's richest person Elon Musk. French company Veolia confirmed to AFP that it has a contract with the US firm Chemonics, USAID's logistics provider. But Veolia emphasised that the contract concerns "only the management of expired products, which is not the case for the stockpile" in Belgium. The products, which are mostly long-acting contraceptives such as IUDs and birth control implants, are reportedly up to five years away from expiring. French disposal company Suez meanwhile told AFP that it "does not provide waste management services for all contraceptive products purchased by USAID". The US plan has provoked outcry in France, where rights groups and left-wing politicians have called on their governments to prevent the contraceptives from being destroyed. "France cannot become the scene of such operations -- a moratorium is essential," said an opinion article in the newspaper Le Monde on Friday signed by five NGOs including MSI Reproductive Choices, condemning the "absurdity" of the US decision. Charles Dallara, the grandson of the politician who legislated in favour of the contraceptive pill in France in 1967, went on French television on Friday to urge President Emmanuel Macron to act. Macron has yet to make an official statement on the contraceptives, but the country's health ministry has said it is "closely monitoring the situation". A petition launched by French feminist groups and unions on Wednesday calling for the contraceptives to be saved has been signed by more than 10,000 people. lmd-mad-mep-dl/rlp © 2025 AFP
Fashion Network
2 hours ago
- Fashion Network
Watches of Switzerland hit by Trump's new 39% Swiss import tariff
Shares of Watches of Switzerland Group Plc fell as much as 6% after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 39% tariff on imports from Switzerland — one of the steepest rates introduced so far in the escalating trade war. The retailer, known for selling Rolex and other Swiss timepieces in the U.K. and U.S., has been hit hardest by the latest tariff measures. Financial markets in Switzerland were closed for a public holiday, initially sparing listed producers such as Richemont and Swatch Group AG from immediate share price reaction. Swiss watch exports had already surged earlier this spring, as Trump threatened a 31% levy. Importers rushed to bring in inventory ahead of potential tariffs, before volumes eased in anticipation of a possible compromise. If the 39% tariff proceeds, it could lead to U.S. retail price hikes of more than 20%, according to analysts at Jefferies led by James Grzinic. However, there remains a possibility that the measure won't be implemented. 'The one-week hiatus until implementation suggests this could be a negotiating tactic,' Grzinic said in a note. Swiss watch exports fell by nearly 10% in May, largely driven by a drop in shipments to the U.S. 'The rise of 'luxury fatigue,' a declining 'feel-good factor' from luxury purchases, and worsening consumer sentiment all contribute to a less optimistic outlook,' Vontobel analyst Jean-Philippe Bertschy wrote in a note last month.
Fashion Network
3 hours ago
- Fashion Network
Watches of Switzerland hit by Trump's new 39% Swiss import tariff
Shares of Watches of Switzerland Group Plc fell as much as 6% after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 39% tariff on imports from Switzerland — one of the steepest rates introduced so far in the escalating trade war. The retailer, known for selling Rolex and other Swiss timepieces in the U.K. and U.S., has been hit hardest by the latest tariff measures. Financial markets in Switzerland were closed for a public holiday, initially sparing listed producers such as Richemont and Swatch Group AG from immediate share price reaction. Swiss watch exports had already surged earlier this spring, as Trump threatened a 31% levy. Importers rushed to bring in inventory ahead of potential tariffs, before volumes eased in anticipation of a possible compromise. If the 39% tariff proceeds, it could lead to U.S. retail price hikes of more than 20%, according to analysts at Jefferies led by James Grzinic. However, there remains a possibility that the measure won't be implemented. 'The one-week hiatus until implementation suggests this could be a negotiating tactic,' Grzinic said in a note. Swiss watch exports fell by nearly 10% in May, largely driven by a drop in shipments to the U.S. 'The rise of 'luxury fatigue,' a declining 'feel-good factor' from luxury purchases, and worsening consumer sentiment all contribute to a less optimistic outlook,' Vontobel analyst Jean-Philippe Bertschy wrote in a note last month.
