President Donald Trump has ordered the United States to withdraw from 66 international organisations, marking one of the most extensive reductions of US participation in multilateral institutions in recent history.
The decision was announced on Wednesday following the signing of a Presidential Memorandum, according to a fact sheet released by the White House on January 7, 2026. The administration said the move reflects a determination to realign US foreign engagement with what it described as core national interests.
Under the directive, all executive departments and agencies have been instructed to halt participation in and funding for 35 non-United Nations organisations and 31 UN-related entities. The White House said the affected bodies operate in ways that conflict with US national security, economic priorities or sovereignty.
Officials said the withdrawals followed a broad review conducted earlier in the year of all international organisations, conventions and treaties in which the United States is a member or to which it provides financial support. The administration concluded that many of the institutions no longer justified continued US involvement.
In a statement, the White House said the move would end taxpayer funding for organisations that, in its view, promote global agendas ahead of American priorities or fail to deliver meaningful results. It argued that billions of dollars have been spent over the years with little benefit, while some of the organisations have criticised US policies or advanced positions at odds with American values.
Framing the decision as a step toward restoring national independence, the administration said President Trump was acting to end participation in bodies it believes undermine US sovereignty or pursue what it described as ineffective or hostile agendas. The White House also accused some organisations of promoting climate, governance and ideological policies that conflict with US economic strength.
The withdrawal order is part of a broader foreign policy approach that has defined Trump’s return to office. Since resuming the presidency, he has overseen US exits from several major international agreements and institutions, including the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Agreement.
On his first day back in office, Trump also notified the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development that its global tax agreement would have no effect in the United States, while ordering a review of foreign tax rules that could disadvantage American companies. He later signed an executive order pulling the US out of the UN Human Rights Council and barring future funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency for the Near East.
The White House said the latest withdrawals are intended to free up resources for domestic priorities such as infrastructure development, military readiness and border security, while shielding US businesses from foreign regulatory pressures.
While critics are expected to argue that the move could weaken US influence on the global stage, administration officials insist it represents a recalibration rather than a retreat. According to the White House, international engagement will continue only where it directly benefits the United States.
In a post on X, the White House confirmed that of the 66 organisations affected, 31 are United Nations entities and 35 are non-UN bodies.
