President Donald Trump on Wednesday ordered the United States to withdraw from 66 international organisations.
This, he said marks one of the most sweeping rollbacks of US participation in multilateral institutions in modern history, as the administration moves aggressively to realign foreign engagement with what it calls core American interests.
According to a Fact Sheet released by the White House on January 7, 2026, Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum directing the withdrawal from organisations that, in the administration’s words, “no longer serve 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 it website.
The directive orders all Executive Departments and Agencies to cease participating in and funding 35 non-UN organizations and 31 United Nations entities, which the administration says operate “contrary to US national interests, security, economic prosperity, or sovereignty.”
The move follows an extensive review initiated earlier in the year examining “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 American taxpayer funding for institutions that, it argues, prioritise global agendas over US 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 further read.
‘Restoring American Sovereignty’
Framing the decision as a matter of national independence, the administration said Trump is acting to “end US participation in international organisations that undermine America’s independence and waste taxpayer dollars on ineffective or hostile agendas.”
The White House accused many of the organisations of promoting policies at odds with U.S. values and economic strength.
“Many of these bodies promote radical climate policies, global governance, and ideological programs that conflict with US sovereignty and economic strength,” the Fact Sheet stated.
It added that despite years of US financial support, the returns have been minimal.
“American taxpayers have spent billions on these organisations with little return, while they often criticise US policies, advance agendas contrary to our values, or waste taxpayer dollars by purporting to address important issues but not achieving any real results,” the administration said.
By exiting the entities, the White House said the president is “saving taxpayer money and refocusing resources on America First priorities.”
Continuation of Trump’s Global Pullback
The decision builds on a series of high-profile withdrawals since Trump returned to office, reinforcing a foreign policy doctrine centered 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.”
Weeks later, Trump escalated further.
“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.
Domestic Focus
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 diminished U.S. influence abroad, the White House framed the move as a recalibration rather than retreat.
The message, officials said, is clear: international engagement must serve the United States first—or not at all.
On X, the White House noted that from the 66 international organisations, 31 are UN entities while 35 are not.
“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 concluded.
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