In a dramatic escalation of his “America First” foreign policy, Donald Trump on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, signed a presidential memorandum directing the United States to withdraw from 66 international organizations and treaties. Issued just weeks ahead of the first anniversary of his second term, the decision marks one of the most far-reaching disengagements by Washington from the global multilateral system since the end of World War II.
According to officials familiar with the directive, the pullback spans 31 United Nations–linked bodies and 35 non-UN organizations. Among the most consequential exits is the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the foundational 1992 agreement that underpins all international climate negotiations. By withdrawing from the UNFCCC, the United States is set to become the only country in the world outside the pact. Other prominent institutions named in the memorandum include the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and the International Labour Organization (ILO).
The administration said the move followed an internal “cost-benefit” review aimed at ending what it described as wasteful expenditure of taxpayer money on institutions accused of promoting “globalist agendas” and “woke” ideological frameworks. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the decision, arguing that many of the organizations had become redundant, poorly managed, or hostile to American sovereignty. The memorandum directs federal departments to begin immediate steps to effectuate the withdrawals, with the White House estimating that billions of dollars in annual dues and contributions could be redirected toward domestic infrastructure, border control, and national security priorities.
The announcement triggered sharp reactions from U.S. allies and international observers, with diplomats and analysts warning that a sudden vacuum of American participation could allow rival powers to exert greater influence over global standards and norms. Environmental groups, in particular, voiced concern that exiting the UNFCCC and the IPCC isolates the United States from the world’s primary climate science and policy forums, potentially weakening its position in clean-energy trade, investment, and regulatory negotiations.
The sweeping disengagement builds on earlier steps taken by the administration in 2025, including withdrawals from the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNESCO. As the State Department prepares to issue formal exit notices to each entity, the move signals a decisive shift toward a bilateral, transaction-based diplomatic approach, leaving the future of collective global governance facing renewed uncertainty.
