Trump pulls US out of UN cultural agency UNESCO for second time

President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the UN culture and education agency UNESCO on Tuesday, repeating a move he had already ordered during his first term, which had been reversed under Joe Biden, Report informs via Reuters.

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 on December 31, 2026.

"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 spokeswoman Anna Kelly said.

The State Department said remaining in UNESCO was not in the national interest, accusing it of having "a globalist, ideological agenda for international development at odds with our America First foreign policy".

UNESCO chief Audrey Azoulay said she deeply regretted Trump's decision, but that it was "expected, and UNESCO has prepared for it".

The agency had diversified its sources of funding, receiving only about 8% of its budget from Washington, she said.

UNESCO was one of several international bodies Trump withdrew from during his first term, along with the World Health Organization, the Paris Agreement global climate change accord and the UN Human Rights Council. During his second term, he has largely reinstated those steps.

UNESCO officials said the US withdrawal would have some limited impact on programs the United States was financing.