Trump Withdraws US from UNESCO Again over “Woke” Agenda, Alleged Bias Against “Israel”

By Staff, Agencies

President Donald Trump has once again pulled the United States out of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization [UNESCO], citing the agency’s support for what his administration called “woke, divisive cultural and social causes.”

In a statement issued Tuesday, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said, “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.” The decision reverses President Joe Biden’s move to rejoin the agency during his term.

The State Department echoed the White House’s rationale, accusing UNESCO of promoting “a globalist, ideological agenda for international development at odds with our America First foreign policy.” Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce added that continued participation in the organization “is not in the national interest of the United States”.

One of the key reasons cited for the US withdrawal was what Bruce described as “the proliferation of anti-Israel rhetoric within the organization.” UNESCO has faced repeated accusations—particularly from pro-“Israel” circles—of political bias in favor of Palestine.

Though the US accounts for around 8% of UNESCO’s total budget—a smaller share than its contributions to other global institutions—the decision still represents a significant symbolic and financial blow to the agency.

UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay responded by acknowledging the move, saying, “However regrettable, this announcement was anticipated, and UNESCO has prepared for it”.

Trump has previously withdrawn the US from other international bodies including the World Health Organization and the UN Human Rights Council. The US also exited UNESCO in 1983 under President Ronald Reagan, who at the time denounced the organization for politicizing its mandate and exhibiting “hostility toward a free society, especially a free market and a free press,” while engaging in “unrestrained budgetary expansion”.

UNESCO currently counts 194 member states and 12 associate members, including France, China, Germany, the United Kingdom, Russia, Iraq and the “Israeli” entity. Despite its global membership, the US has now joined a small group of nations that are not part of the organization.