Trump Withdraws US Out of More Than 60 International Organisations, Including 31 UN-Linked Entities, Alleging They “No Longer Serve American Interests”

Key Points:

US President Donald Trump’s latest move against the United Nations (UN) has returned to the list of top headlines following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by the US military on January 3, 2026.

On January 8, 2026, the White House announced on X that the President of the United States (POTUS) had signed a memorandum withdrawing the US from 66 international organizations, 31 of which are linked to the UN.

The reasoning for withdrawing from more than 60 international organisations is cited as serving American interests. According to a statement released by the White House, the move is based on the claim that these organisations no longer serve the interests of the American people.

See Also: After Venezuela Assault, Trump and Rubio Warn Cuba, Mexico, and Colombia Could Be Next

Trump also banned US departments and agencies from funding both UN-linked and non-linked organisations on January 7, 2026.

The White House said in its statement that these organisations “operate contrary to US national interests, security, economic prosperity, or sovereignty” and “advance globalist agendas over US priorities.” 

However, it did not specify the list of organisations from which the US has withdrawn, claiming instead that they promote “radical climate policies, global governance, and ideological programs that conflict with US sovereignty and economic strength.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that these international organisations actively aim to “constrain US sovereignty.”

The White House further added that the withdrawals will ultimately put an end to American taxpayers’ “funding and involvement in entities that advance globalist agendas over US priorities.”

Trump has consistently reiterated his “America First” policy. “We seek cooperation where it serves our people and will stand firm where it does not,” Rubio said.

The majority of the organisations on the listed roster work in sectors such as climate change, gender, and population—areas that do not align with the POTUS’s ideological stance. Some UN-linked entities, such as the Population Fund, receive funding through direct donations, while other agencies rely on the UN’s regular budget, to which the US is required to contribute 22%.

Trump has not released the US’s approved $820 million contribution for 2025, and the administration has also hinted at cutting this year’s funding by $610 million.

See Also: Global Protests Tell Trump and His Cronies: ‘Hands Off Venezuela’

The list includes the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the International Trade Centre, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the UN Population Fund, and the UN’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs, as well as economic and social commissions for Asia and other regions, and the Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.

Trump Calls Climate Change a “Hoax”

Soon after Trump’s re-election, he withdrew the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement, which aims to limit global warming. Trump’s stance on climate change has been widely criticised, as he has repeatedly called it a “hoax.”

UN Secretary-General António Guterres did not issue an immediate response to the Trump administration’s withdrawal from these organisations and entities.

During his address to the United Nations General Assembly in September 2025, Trump reportedly called climate change the “greatest con job ever.” He has also ordered the US to withdraw from UNESCO and the UN Human Rights Council.

Inputs from IANS

[VS]

Suggested Reading: