BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — THE United States has confirmed that it will officially withdraw from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for the second time, effective December 2026, as part of its shifting global priorities.
Confirmation came yesterday (Jul. 22), as the Trump Administration in Washington, D.C. announced that it was refocusing its international strategy to better align with the “America First” agenda.
Tammy Bruce, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, told reporters during a press briefing at the State Department that UNESCO’s Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, had been formally notified of the decision.
“Continued involvement in UNESCO is not in the national interest of the United States," Bruce said. "UNESCO works to advance divisive social and cultural causes and maintains an outsized focus on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, a globalist ideological agenda for international development at odds with our America First foreign policy.”
In response to the U.S. decision, Director-General Azoulay expressed regret, saying he believed the move undermines core international principles.
“This decision contradicts the fundamental principles of multilateralism, and may affect first and foremost our many partners in the United States of America— communities seeking site inscription on the World Heritage List, Creative City status, and University Chairs,” Azoulay said.
UNESCO is best known for promoting global education, safeguarding cultural heritage sites, and supporting freedom of expression and scientific collaboration. However, tensions between the U.S. and the organization have lingered, especially over the 2011 decision to admit “the state of Palestine” as a full member— a move the U.S. government has consistently criticized as “highly problematic” and contrary to its policy on Israel.
According to the State Department, the withdrawal is part of a broader reassessment of U.S. participation in international organizations under a recent executive order issued by President Trump.
The United States currently contributes roughly eight percent of UNESCO’s total budget. However, Azoulay noted that the organization had anticipated the move and made preparations.
"In recent years, we have undertaken major structural reforms and diversified our funding sources. Thanks to the efforts made by the Organization since 2018, the decreasing trend in the financial contribution of the US has been offset, so that it now represents 8% of the Organization's total budget compared to 40% for some United Nations entities,"Azoulay explained.
It remains unclear how the U.S. withdrawal will affect current and future UNESCO-led projects, including those underway in St. Kitts and Nevis.
