Donald Trump’s Executive Move Ends US Support for UNRWA, Orders Review of UNESCO Ties, and Signals Shift in Global Diplomacy
In a significant foreign policy move, U.S President Donald Trump has signed an executive order withdrawing the United States from the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council.
The order, signed on Tuesday, also ends US involvement in the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and calls for a review of American participation in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
“I always felt the UN has always had tremendous potential, but it’s not living up to it,” Trump stated.
The US had been UNRWA’s largest donor, contributing nearly $500 million annually. However, in January 2024, former President Joe Biden halted funding after Israel alleged that a dozen UNRWA staff members were involved in the Hamas-led attack that triggered the war in Gaza. Congress later suspended US contributions to the agency until at least March 2025.
Trump’s decision marks a shift in US policy toward the UN, further distancing Washington from the international institutions he has long criticized.
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