Key Facts
• July 22, 2025: U.S. State Department announces UNESCO withdrawal.
• Withdrawal effective December 31, 2026.
• Reason: UNESCO’s focus on SDGs conflicts with “America First” policy.
• U.S. criticizes UNESCO for admitting Palestine, citing anti-Israel bias.
• Previous withdrawal occurred in 2017 under Trump, rejoined in 2023 under Biden.
Summary
The U.S. State Department announced its decision to withdraw from UNESCO, effective December 31, 2026, citing conflicts with the “America First” policy. The Trump administration criticized UNESCO’s emphasis on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and its decision to admit Palestine, which it claimed led to anti-Israel rhetoric. This marks the second withdrawal under Trump, following a similar move in 2017. The U.S. had rejoined UNESCO in 2023 under the Biden administration.
