The United States is pulling out of UNESCO once again under President Donald Trump, citing anti-Israel bias, rising Chinese influence, and what the White House calls a 'woke agenda.'
President Donald Trump has announced that the United States will withdraw from UNESCO, accusing the UN cultural agency of promoting 'anti-American, anti-Israel views and a woke agenda.'
The decision follows a 90-day internal review and reverses President Biden’s 2023 move to rejoin the organization and repay more than $600 million in back dues.
White House deputy spokesperson Anna Kelly stated, “President Trump has decided to withdraw the United States from UNESCO — which supports woke, divisive cultural and social causes.”
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.
The administration also objected to initiatives like the 2023 'anti-racism toolkit' and the 2024 'Transforming MEN’talities' campaign, which they claimed “promote divisive social causes.”
Concerns were also raised about China’s growing influence within UNESCO. “China has leveraged its influence over UNESCO to advance global standards that are favorable to Beijing’s interests,” an official said, pointing to Chinese nationals in senior leadership and funding contributions.
This marks the third U.S. exit from UNESCO, following previous withdrawals under Ronald Reagan in 1983 and Donald Trump in 2017, both times citing politicization and anti-Western bias.
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