The United States has ordered its withdrawal from 66 international and United Nations-affiliated organisations after President Donald Trump signed a new directive on January 7, 2026.
The order instructed U.S. agencies to end participation and funding for bodies deemed “contrary to the interests of the United States.”
The directive was contained in a Presidential Memoranda titled Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies, signed by President Trump.
What the U.S. President is saying
President Trump said the decision was based on a determination that continued U.S. membership, participation, or financial support for the affected organisations no longer served national interests.
He stated that the review process was carried out in consultation with the Secretary of State, the U.S. Representative to the United Nations, and members of his Cabinet.
The memorandum directed federal agencies to move swiftly to effect the withdrawals. For UN-related entities, withdrawal was defined as ceasing participation or funding to the extent permitted by U.S. law.
“MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES
“By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby direct:
“Section 1. Purpose. (a) On February 4, 2025, I issued Executive Order 14199 (Withdrawing the United States from and Ending Funding to Certain United Nations Organizations and Reviewing United States Support to All International Organizations),” the Presidential memo read in part.
The President also said the review of other international organisations and agreements remained ongoing, indicating that further withdrawals could follow.
The document framed the move as part of a broader effort to reassess U.S. engagement with multilateral institutions, particularly those involved in climate policy, development financing, governance, gender issues, and environmental protection.
Affected agencies and departments
The directive applied to all U.S. executive departments and agencies, requiring coordinated implementation across government.
The Secretary of State was directed to lead the process and issue further guidance as needed, while working with other departments to manage legal, diplomatic, and administrative steps.
The affected organisations included 35 non-UN bodies, such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the International Renewable Energy Agency, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and the International Solar Alliance.
It also covered 31 UN-related entities, including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, UN Women, the UN Population Fund, the UN Conference on Trade and Development, and multiple UN regional economic commissions.
The memorandum clarified that it did not override existing legal authorities or budgetary processes and created no enforceable rights against the U.S. government. The Secretary of State was authorised to publish the directive in the Federal Register.
What you should know
The directive followed a review ordered under an executive action issued in February 2025. The review assessed U.S. participation in international organisations, conventions, and treaties. Based on the findings, President Donald Trump approved withdrawal from 66 bodies, with agencies instructed to disengage in line with U.S. law and funding rules.
The decision fits into a broader pullback from multilateral institutions. The U.S. has also reduced or ended funding for other global bodies, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
In 2025, OCHA announced a 20% workforce cut after facing a $58 million funding shortfall. U.S. contributions of about $63 million annually had typically accounted for roughly 20% of OCHA’s extrabudgetary funding.
The WHO also cut its budget by more than 20% following the U.S. funding withdrawal.
According to AFP, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a March 28, 2025, internal email that the agency faced an income gap of nearly $600 million in 2025, forcing operational and staffing reductions.
President Trump announced the U.S. withdrawal from the WHO in January 2025. He accused the organisation of mishandling the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. had previously accounted for about 18% of WHO funding.
