The United States announced on Tuesday that it has officially withdrawn from UNESCO, the UN agency known for its work in culture and education, including the designation of World Heritage Sites.
The decision, according to the U.S. government, stems from concerns over the organization’s alleged bias against Israel and its promotion of what it called “divisive” agendas.
“Continued involvement in UNESCO is not in the national interest of the United States,” said State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce.
The move aligns with former President Donald Trump’s long-standing position. Trump had initially pulled the U.S. out of UNESCO in 2017 during his first term, while President Joe Biden later reversed the decision and restored American membership.
Bruce criticised the agency for promoting what she described as a “globalist, ideological agenda,” particularly through its emphasis on UN sustainable development goals. She claimed UNESCO “works to advance divisive social and cultural causes.”
She also pointed to the organisation’s 2011 decision to admit Palestine as a full member, calling it “highly problematic, contrary to US policy, and [something that] contributed to the proliferation of anti-Israel rhetoric within the organization.”
UNESCO describes its mission as fostering global cooperation in education, science, and culture. It is best known for maintaining a list of World Heritage Sites, which includes natural and historical landmarks like Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, Tanzania’s Serengeti, Egypt’s Pyramids, and the Acropolis in Greece.
U.S. previously left UNESCO in 1980s
The Trump administration is not the first to cut ties with UNESCO. The U.S. previously left the organisation in the 1980s under President Ronald Reagan, who accused it of corruption and a pro-Soviet stance. It was President George W. Bush who restored U.S. membership in 2003.
