The White House announced Friday that the United States will begin withdrawing from a broad range of international organizations, conventions, and treaties deemed “contrary to the interests of the United States,” according to a presidential memorandum.
The memorandum, issued to the heads of executive departments and agencies, follows Executive Order 14199, which directed a comprehensive review of all international organizations and agreements involving U.S. membership or funding. After reviewing the Secretary of State’s report and consulting with the Cabinet, the President determined that the United States should cease participation in or funding for several entities, including both United Nations (UN) and non-UN organizations.
Among the non-UN organizations targeted for withdrawal are the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the International Renewable Energy Agency, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature, as well as a number of regional and sector-specific groups focused on energy, migration, and security cooperation.
The memorandum also directs withdrawal from numerous UN entities, including the UN Population Fund, the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and several ECOSOC regional commissions, along with various offices focused on peacebuilding, human rights, and conflict prevention.
The directive instructs all federal agencies to take immediate steps to effectuate the withdrawals to the extent allowed by law and in alignment with budgetary and administrative requirements. The Secretary of State will provide additional guidance to agencies during implementation.
The administration emphasized that the actions are intended to align U.S. participation in international bodies with national interests, and the memorandum notes that further review of additional organizations is ongoing.
By: DNU staff