President Donald Trump has ordered the United States to withdraw from 66 international organisations, marking one of the most sweeping rollbacks of American participation in multilateral institutions in modern history.
The decision, announced in a White House Fact Sheet, is aimed at realigning U.S. foreign engagement with what the administration describes as “core American interests.”
“Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum directing the withdrawal of the United States from 66 international organisations that no longer serve American interests,” the White House said on its website.
According to the directive, all Executive Departments and Agencies have been instructed to cease participation in and funding for 35 non-United Nations organisations and 31 UN entities. The administration claims these bodies operate “contrary to U.S. national interests, security, economic prosperity, or sovereignty.”
The move follows an extensive review initiated earlier in the year, which examined “all international intergovernmental organisations, conventions, and treaties that the United States is a member of or party to, or that the United States funds or supports.”
The White House said the withdrawals are intended to end taxpayer funding for institutions that, in its view, prioritise global agendas over American needs.
“These withdrawals will end American taxpayer funding and involvement in entities that advance globalist agendas over U.S. priorities, or that address important issues inefficiently or ineffectively such that U.S. taxpayer dollars are best allocated in other ways,” the statement read.
Framing the decision as a matter of national independence, the administration said President Trump is acting to “end U.S. participation in international organisations that undermine America’s independence and waste taxpayer dollars on ineffective or hostile agendas.”
The White House also accused many of the organisations of promoting policies that clash with U.S. values and economic goals.
“Many of these bodies promote radical climate policies, global governance, and ideological programs that conflict with U.S. sovereignty and economic strength,” the Fact Sheet stated.
Despite years of U.S. financial support, the administration said the returns have been minimal.
“American taxpayers have spent billions on these organisations with little return, while they often criticise U.S. policies, advance agendas contrary to our values, or waste taxpayer dollars by purporting to address important issues but not achieving any real results,” it added.
By exiting the entities, the White House said the president is “saving taxpayer money and refocusing resources on America First priorities.”
The decision builds on a series of high-profile withdrawals since Trump returned to office, reinforcing a foreign policy doctrine centred on sovereignty and unilateral decision-making.
“Immediately upon returning to office, President Trump initiated the withdrawal of the United States from the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Agreement,” the White House noted.
On his first day back in office, Trump also moved against international tax coordination.
“On Day One of his Administration, President Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum to notify the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development that its Global Tax Deal has no force or effect in the United States,” the Fact Sheet said, adding that he ordered an investigation into whether foreign tax rules “disproportionately affect American companies.”
In addition, the president signed an Executive Order withdrawing the U.S. from the UN Human Rights Council and banning future funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency for the Near East (UNRWA).
“President Trump signed an Executive Order withdrawing the United States from the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and prohibiting any future funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency for the Near East (UNRWA),” the White House said.
The administration emphasised that the withdrawals are part of a broader reallocation of resources toward domestic priorities.
“He has prioritised American interests by redirecting focus and resources toward domestic priorities such as infrastructure, military readiness, and border security, and acting swiftly to protect American companies from foreign interference,” the statement said.
While critics are expected to warn of reduced U.S. influence on the global stage, the White House framed the move as a recalibration rather than a retreat.
Officials said the message is clear: international engagement must serve the United States first — or not at all.
In a post on X, the White House confirmed the breakdown of the withdrawals.
“Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum directing the withdrawal of the United States from 66 international organisations that no longer serve American interests including: 35 non-UN organisations and 31 UN entities,” it said.
