This article explains President Trump’s decision to withdraw U.S. participation from 66 international organizations and the reasoning offered by the administration, highlights examples from the list that raised eyebrows, and includes the White House excerpts and Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s statement as presented.
President Trump signed a presidential memorandum directing withdrawal from 66 international organizations that the administration says no longer serve American interests. The move affects 35 non-United Nations organizations and 31 U.N. entities, following a review of every international intergovernmental organization, convention, and treaty the U.S. funds or supports. The action was framed as prioritizing U.S. national interests, security, economic prosperity, and sovereignty. That framing underscores the administration’s intent to stop funding bodies it views as counterproductive to American aims.
The list includes a wide range of groups, from climate-related compacts and environmental commissions to migration forums and research institutes. Many of the entries are United Nations-affiliated, which the administration argues often operate at odds with U.S. policy even though the U.S. has historically been a major funder. Critics of the international bureaucracy will say these bodies duplicate work, waste taxpayer dollars, or push agendas that conflict with American sovereignty and priorities. Supporters of the move point to accountability and to refocusing resources on tangible outcomes for Americans.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed a presidential memorandum directing the U.S. to withdraw from 66 international organizations that the White House said no longer serve American interests.
The White House said the directive orders all executive departments and agencies to stop participating in and funding 35 non-United Nations organizations and 31 U.N. entities that the administration concluded operate contrary to U.S. national interests, security, economic prosperity, or sovereignty.
The White House said the action follows a review of every international intergovernmental organization, convention, and treaty that the U.S. belongs to, funds, or otherwise supports.
Scanning the list produces moments of genuine disbelief at what the U.S. was supporting and why. Examples include the 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy Compact, the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. There are also organizations like the Global Forum on Migration and Development and the International Solar Alliance, bodies the administration judged either duplicative or misaligned with American goals. The point being made is simple: if an organization advances agendas that run contrary to U.S. interests or drains resources without clear benefit, cut the funding and participation.
The White House review names entities that seem to operate in overlapping areas, and some items on the list read like bureaucratic make-work projects rather than essential programs. Among U.N. entities singled out were the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the Peacebuilding Commission, the Peacebuilding Fund, and UN Water. The memorandum also lists the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent and the UN University, which some in the administration dismissed as venues for progressive ideas rather than practical cooperation. That criticism reflects a broader Republican view that international institutions should be checked when they stray from American interests.
The administration’s approach is to force a reckoning over what the U.S. pays for and what it receives in return. Many Americans want their tax dollars spent where the payoff is clear: protecting borders, strengthening the military, and promoting trade that benefits American workers. From that perspective, endless funding for global forums and bureaucratic panels is an easy target for cuts. The Trump team framed this as keeping a campaign promise to stop subsidizing globalist bureaucrats who act against U.S. interests.
Not everyone will agree with the specifics, and some programs on the list do deliver benefits in narrow areas like public health, disaster response, or research collaboration. The administration acknowledges that some organizations may do useful work, but argues the cumulative weight of waste, duplication, and anti-American bias justified broad withdrawals. The decision shifts the burden onto those organizations to continue if they can do so without U.S. support. That outcome, the administration says, will reveal which bodies truly provide value and which cannot survive without American funding.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the organizations targeted as “anti-American, useless, or wasteful” and said the withdrawals fulfill a promise to stop subsidizing globalist bureaucrats. The administration emphasized that future participation will be contingent on organizations demonstrating alignment with U.S. priorities. In Rubio’s words: “These withdrawals keep a key promise President Trump made to Americans – we will stop subsidizing globalist bureaucrats who act against our interests. The Trump Administration will always put America and Americans first.”
The broader policy choice here is a reassertion of national sovereignty over multilateralism as it has operated in recent decades. That argument resonates with voters who want clear returns on federal spending and who are wary of international institutions imposing costs or values on the United States. It also signals to allies and adversaries alike that the administration will weigh engagement against tangible American benefit. The consequence will be a leaner footprint in some international forums and a louder demand for concrete results from any future cooperation.
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