The BareStory
The Trump administration has announced that the United States will withdraw from 66 international organizations, a group that includes 31 entities within the United Nations system as well as the Green Climate Fund (GCF). The move follows a February 2025 executive order that initiated a review of U.S. support for international bodies.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated the decision reflects a rejection of an "outdated model of multilateralism," describing the international system as being overrun with "opaque and inefficient" organizations. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent specifically addressed the immediate withdrawal from the GCF, asserting that the U.S. would no longer finance "radical organizations" whose goals he claimed oppose affordable energy and economic growth. Other confirmed exits include the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the U.N. Population Fund, and the U.N. Council on Trade and Development.
International officials voiced opposition to the withdrawals. A spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed regret over the announcement and stated that assessed contributions to the U.N. budget are a legal obligation for all member states. The GCF responded by reaffirming its commitment to its mission, stating that the U.S. departure would not affect its operations.
Observers offered differing interpretations of the policy's impact. Brett Schaefer, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, characterized the withdrawals from non-U.N. bodies as "pruning around the margins," while noting that leaving the U.N. agencies signals a push for consolidation. Schaefer suggested other bodies, such as the U.N. Development Program (UNDP) and the Food and Agricultural Organization, could face future cuts due to alleged mismanagement or foreign influence. In response to such allegations, a UNDP spokesperson defended the agency's strict oversight and partnership with the U.S.
How it may affect me
As a U.S. reader:
• Treasury officials state that withdrawing from the Green Climate Fund aims to prioritize affordable domestic energy and economic growth by ending support for organizations viewed as opposing these goals.
• Taxpayer funding for these entities is expected to stop, although U.N. officials assert that the United States remains legally obligated to pay assessed budget contributions.
• The U.S. will no longer participate in the decision-making processes of the 66 exited organizations, including the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change and trade councils.
• Future U.S. engagement with agencies like the Food and Agricultural Organization may decrease, as observers suggest further cuts could target bodies accused of mismanagement or foreign influence.
