The United States is set to leave UNESCO again, according to two European diplomats, as President Donald Trump continues to withdraw from international institutions he has long criticised.
This marks another blow to the Paris-based UN agency, created after World War II to promote peace through global cooperation in education, science, and culture. The New York Post confirmed the move, citing a White House official.
During his first term, Mr Trump exited the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN Human Rights Council, the Iran nuclear deal, and the global climate accord. President Joe Biden later rejoined those bodies after taking office in 2021, including returning to UNESCO.
Now back in power, Mr Trump is reversing course once more—pulling out of the WHO again and cutting funding to the UN’s Palestinian relief agency (UNRWA), with a broader UN review expected to conclude in August.
UNESCO is best known for designating World Heritage Sites, such as the Grand Canyon and Palmyra. The U.S. was a founding member in 1945 but first left the agency in 1984 over alleged mismanagement and anti-U.S. bias, returning in 2003 under President George W. Bush after reforms were introduced.
