President Donald Trump has decided to pull the United States out of the "woke"and "divisive" United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the White House said on Tuesday, repeating a move he took in his first term that was reversed by Joe Biden. 

The withdrawal from the Paris-based agency will take effect at the end of next year.

The move is in line with the Trump administration's broader "America-first" foreign policy, which includes a deep skepticism of multilateral groups, including the United Nations, the World Trade Organization and the NATO alliance.

White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said UNESCO "supports woke, divisive cultural and social causes that are totally out-of-step with the commonsense policies that Americans voted for."

The State Department accused UNESCO of supporting "a globalist, ideological agenda for international development at odds with our America First foreign policy."

It said its decision to admit the Palestinians as a member state was "highly problematic, contrary to U.S. policy, and contributed to the proliferation of anti-Israel rhetoric."

World reactions

UNESCO chief Audrey Azoulay said she deeply regretted Trump's decision, but it was "expected, and UNESCO has prepared for it."

Posting on X, French President Emmanuel Macron professed "unwavering support" for the "universal protector" of world heritage and said the U.S. move would not weaken France's commitment to UNESCO.

UNESCO officials said the U.S. withdrawal would have some limited impact on U.S.-financed programs.

Azoulay said UNESCO had diversified funding sources, receiving only about 8 percent of its budget from Washington.

In the meantime, Israel welcomed the U.S. decision with its UN ambassador, Danny Danon, accusing UNESCO of "consistent misguided anti-Israel bias."

In a post on X, Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, thanked Washington for its "moral support and leadership" and said that "Singling out Israel and politicization by member states must end, in this and all professional UN agencies."

Key dates in the tumultuous relationship

UNESCO is best known for designating World Heritage Sites, including the U.S. Grand Canyon and Egypt's pyramids.

It lists 26 sites in the United States, including the Statue of Liberty, on its World Heritage List which highlights 1,248 global locations of "outstanding universal value."

Washington has had a troubled relationship with UNESCO over the years.

It was a founding member in 1945 but first withdrew in 1984 to protest alleged financial mismanagement and perceived anti-U.S. bias during the Cold War.

It returned in 2003 under President George W. Bush, who said UNESCO had undertaken needed reforms, but in 2011 the Obama administration announced it was stopping funding for the agency following its vote to grant the Palestinians full membership.

Trump's first administration announced in 2017 it was quitting after accusing UNESCO of anti-Israeli bias, with Washington owing $542 million in dues, before former President Joe Biden reversed the decision in 2023.

(Cover: The UNESCO flag flies at its headquarters, July 22, 2025 in Paris. /VCG)