Anna Kelly, Deputy White House Press Secretary, told The New York Post that UNESCO promotes “divisive cultural and social goals” that run counter to common sense and the policies of the current U.S. administration.
“The organization supports controversial cultural and social agendas that fundamentally contradict American values,” Kelly said.
The administration also cited UNESCO’s positions on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as incompatible with U.S. policy, accusing the organization of harboring “pro-Palestinian and pro-China” biases.
Shortly after returning to the White House, Trump ordered a 90-day review of U.S. participation in UNESCO to evaluate whether the agency aligns with American interests. He also directed attention to two other UN bodies: the UN Human Rights Council and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). In February, he signed an executive order withdrawing the U.S. from the Human Rights Council, which he previously criticized for “bias against Israel.”
This is not the first time Trump has removed the U.S. from UNESCO. In 2017, during his first term, the U.S. left the agency citing “chronic anti-Israel bias,” a move joined by Israel. Under President Joe Biden, the U.S. rejoined UNESCO in 2023 and paid back dues to the agency.
Trump is also not the first American president to take such action. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan withdrew the U.S. from UNESCO due to policy disagreements. The country rejoined nearly two decades later in 2003.
Today, UNESCO comprises 194 member states and 12 associate members, including territories such as the Cayman Islands and the Faroe Islands that are not sovereign nations.
