Trump Orders US Exit From 66 International Organisations

President Donald Trump has ordered the United States to withdraw from 66 international organisations, marking one of the most significant reductions in U.S. participation in multilateral institutions in modern history.

The decision, announced on Wednesday, reflects the administration’s push to reshape America’s global engagement in line with what it describes as core national interests, sovereignty, and economic priorities.

According to a White House Fact Sheet dated January 7, 2026, Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum instructing the United States to exit organisations that the administration says “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 its website.

Under the directive, all executive departments and agencies are ordered to end participation and funding for 35 non-UN organisations and 31 United Nations entities. The administration argues these bodies operate “contrary to US national interests, security, economic prosperity, or sovereignty.”

The move follows a comprehensive review conducted earlier in the year that examined “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 aim to halt U.S. taxpayer funding for institutions it believes prioritise global agendas over domestic 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

The administration framed the decision as a move to reinforce national independence, saying the president is acting to “end US participation in international organisations that undermine America’s independence and waste taxpayer dollars on ineffective or hostile agendas.”

According to the White House, many of the organisations promote policies that conflict with U.S. values and economic goals.

“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.

The administration also argued that years of U.S. financial contributions have yielded little benefit.

“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 statement said.

By withdrawing from the entities, the White House said Trump is “saving taxpayer money and refocusing resources on America First priorities.”

Continuation Of Trump’s Global Pullback

The latest action builds on a series of high-profile international withdrawals since Trump’s return to office, reinforcing a foreign policy 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 took steps against global 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.”

In the weeks that followed, the administration 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

Officials said the withdrawals are part of a broader effort to redirect funding and attention 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 argue that the move could weaken U.S. influence abroad, the White House portrayed it as a strategic recalibration rather than isolation.

According to officials, the message is clear: international engagement must serve U.S. interests first or not at all.

In a post on X, the White House clarified the breakdown of the withdrawals.

“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.