In a sweeping move that has sent shockwaves through the global diplomatic community, the United States of America has formally initiated its withdrawal from a total of 66 international organizations, including 31 United Nations entities and 35 non-UN bodies, conventions, and treaties. The decision, framed as protecting national interests, deals a severe blow to international cooperation, particularly on climate change.
The Presidential Directive and Its Scope
The action was formalized through a Presidential Memorandum signed by President Donald Trump on 8 January 2026 (released to journalists on 9 January). The memo, distributed at the Foreign Press Centre in Washington, D.C., and to all executive departments, directs an immediate cessation of U.S. participation and funding to the listed groups.
President Trump based this drastic step on Executive Order 14199, which he signed on February 4, 2025. That order mandated a comprehensive review of all international bodies the U.S. supports to determine if they served American interests. Following a report from the Secretary of State, Trump and his Cabinet concluded that remaining in these organizations was "contrary to the interests of the U.S."
He ordered all agencies to take steps to withdraw "as soon as possible." For UN entities, this means stopping participation and funding to the fullest extent allowed by law. The memorandum will be published in the Federal Register to formalize the disengagement.
Key Organizations on the Exit List
The list of 66 proscribed organizations includes pivotal bodies for environmental protection and global governance. Most notably, the withdrawal extends to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), coming just one year after the U.S. left the Paris Agreement. This move completely removes America from the primary global architecture for combating climate change.
Other significant UN bodies on the list include:
- The Department of Economic and Social Affairs
- The International Law Commission
- The Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (which is to be disbanded)
- The UN Alliance of Civilisations
- The UN Democracy Fund
- The UN Energy programme
Among the 35 non-UN organizations deemed contrary to U.S. interests are the 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy Compact, the Freedom Online Coalition, the Global Counterterrorism Forum, and the Science and Technology Centre in Ukraine.
Global Repercussions and Stern Rebuke
The international reaction has been one of profound concern and criticism. Simon Stiell, the Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, issued a stark warning, labeling the U.S. decision a "colossal own goal."
"While all other nations are stepping forward together, this latest step-back from global leadership, climate cooperation and science can only harm the U.S. economy, jobs and living standards, as wildfires, floods, mega-storms and droughts get rapidly worse," Stiell stated. "It is a colossal own goal which will leave America less secure and less prosperous."
The White House, however, defended the move as a cornerstone of the "America First" foreign policy. President Trump positioned the mass withdrawal as essential for restoring U.S. sovereignty and ensuring that international engagements deliver tangible benefits to American citizens.
The memorandum explicitly states it does not create any legally enforceable rights or benefits for any party against the U.S. government. The Secretary of State is tasked with providing further guidance to agencies for implementing this historic shift in America's global posture.
