Trump Orders US Exit From UNESCO, Reversing Biden-Era Reentry

The UNESCO exit comes amid criticism of the agency’s ties to the Chinese Communist Party and longstanding anti-Israel concerns.

A man enters the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France, on July 22, 2025. Thomas Padilla/AP Photo

The United States will withdraw from the U.N. Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) by the end of 2026, the State Department confirmed on July 22, citing ideological differences and what it described as an anti-Israel bias and “globalist” agenda out of step with U.S. foreign policy.

“Continued involvement in UNESCO is not in the national interest of the United States,” State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement.