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Trump orders U.S. withdrawal from 66 international organisations, citing national interest and sovereignty.
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31 UN agencies and 35 non-UN bodies affected as U.S. funding and participation are halted.
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White House says decision saves taxpayer funds and reinforces the administration’s “America First” agenda.
U.S. President Donald Trump has directed the United States to withdraw from 66 international organisations, marking one of the most far-reaching reductions in U.S. engagement with multilateral institutions in recent history.
The decision was contained in a Presidential Memorandum signed on Wednesday and detailed in a Fact Sheet released by the White House on January 7, 2026. The document stated that the affected organisations “no longer serve American interests.”
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Under the directive, all U.S. executive departments and agencies are to immediately stop participation in and funding of 35 non-United Nations organisations and 31 UN entities, which the administration claims operate against U.S. national security, economic prosperity, or sovereignty.
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The White House explained that the move followed a comprehensive review of international organisations, conventions, and treaties involving the United States, concluding that many of them prioritise global agendas over domestic American needs.
According to the administration, billions of dollars in U.S. taxpayer funds have been spent on institutions that deliver little benefit to the country, while at times criticising U.S. policies or advancing positions contrary to American values.
Presenting the action as a restoration of national independence, the White House accused several of the organisations of promoting global governance frameworks, climate policies, and ideological programmes that undermine U.S. economic strength and sovereignty.
The withdrawal forms part of a broader foreign policy shift since Trump’s return to office, following earlier exits from the World Health Organization, the Paris Climate Agreement, the UN Human Rights Council, and the termination of U.S. funding for UNRWA, alongside rejection of the OECD global tax deal.
The administration said resources freed from the withdrawals would be redirected toward domestic priorities, including infrastructure development, border security, and military readiness.
While critics are expected to warn that the move could weaken U.S. global influence, the White House maintains that international engagement must clearly benefit the United States, stressing that America’s participation abroad will now be guided strictly by national interest.
