Washington, D.C. – Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order withdrawing the United States from the United Nations Human Rights Council, marking a significant shift in US foreign policy regarding global human rights oversight.
The order also mandates the withdrawal of US support from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and initiates a review of the country’s involvement in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The decision, according to White House staff secretary Will Scharf, stems from what the administration perceives as “anti-American bias” within these UN bodies.
The UN Human Rights Council, comprised of 47 member states elected by the General Assembly for three-year terms, had the US in an observer role after its latest term ended on December 31. The executive order now appears to completely sever US participation in the council’s activities, including the review of human rights records and investigations into rights abuses.
“More generally, the executive order calls for a review of American involvement and funding in the UN in light of the wild disparities and levels of funding among different countries,” Scharf stated.
Trump criticized the UN’s management, saying, “It should be funded by everybody, but we’re disproportionate, as we always seem to be.” He acknowledged the UN’s “tremendous potential” but expressed concerns over its efficiency.
The former president has long opposed what he considers an unfair financial burden on the US in funding multilateral organizations, a stance he also took regarding NATO. His administration has backed Israel’s efforts to block UNRWA, which it accuses of promoting anti-Israel rhetoric.
In January 2024, then-President Joe Biden halted US funding for UNRWA after Israel alleged that some of its employees were involved in Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack. While subsequent investigations uncovered some neutrality concerns within the agency, no conclusive evidence supported Israel’s main allegations, leading many other countries to resume their financial support.
This latest move aligns with Trump’s previous actions in his earlier term, including withdrawing the US from the Paris Climate Accord and initiating the country’s exit from the World Health Organization, both of which he argued placed an unfair financial strain on the US.
Trump’s withdrawal from these international bodies reflects his long-standing position on reducing America’s financial commitments to global institutions, a key aspect of his foreign policy approach.