US to Leave UNESCO Again in 2026: Third Exit

The United States announced on Tuesday it will withdraw from UNESCO at the end of December 2026, marking its third exit from the UN cultural agency and the second under President Trump.

In a statement, the U.S. State Department criticized UNESCO’s “policy to advance divisive social and cultural causes” on the Israel-Palestine conflict, highlighting the agency’s decision to admit the “State of Palestine” as a member state.

“Continued involvement in UNESCO is not in the national interest of the United States,” said Tammy Bruce, spokeswoman for the State Department.

“I deeply regret President Donald Trump’s decision to once again withdraw the United States of America from UNESCO,” said UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay. “However regrettable, this announcement was expected, and UNESCO has prepared for it.”

This latest move follows a pattern from President Trump’s first term, when the U.S. withdrew from several major international bodies—the World Health Organization, the UN Human Rights Council, the Paris climate accord, and the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. President Biden reversed course upon taking office in 2021, rejoining UNESCO, WHO, and the climate agreement two years ago.

With Trump now back in the White House, the U.S. has already signed executive orders to withdraw from the Paris climate accord on January 20 and the UN Human Rights Council on February 4, signaling a renewed chapter of detachment from global institutions.

As the countdown to 2026 begins, cultural, academic, and diplomatic communities worldwide are bracing for the impact on international cooperation in education, science, and culture.

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U.S. says it's leaving UN cultural agency UNESCO, again

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