In a dramatic turn of events, President Donald Trump on Wednesday ordered the United States to withdraw from dozens of international organisations, United Nations bodies and multilateral initiatives, asserting that continued participation in them is contrary to U.S. national interests.
In a presidential memorandum dated January 7, 2026, Trump directed all executive departments and agencies to take immediate steps to end U.S. membership, participation, or funding for the listed organisations, citing the authority vested in the presidency by the Constitution and U.S. law.
The directive follows a government-wide review initiated under Executive Order 14199, issued Feb. 4, 2025, which instructed the State Department to assess U.S. involvement in international organisations, conventions and treaties.
According to the memorandum, the Secretary of State’s findings concluded that continued engagement with the identified entities does not serve the interests of the United States.
The order applies to both non-United Nations and United Nations-affiliated organizations.
Among the non-UN bodies named are the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the International Renewable Energy Agency, the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the Freedom Online Coalition.
Several energy, environmental, governance and development-focused organisations are also included.
More than 30 UN entities are listed for withdrawal or cessation of support, including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, UN Women, the UN Population Fund, the UN Conference on Trade and Development and multiple UN regional economic commissions. For UN entities, withdrawal is defined as ending participation or funding to the extent permitted by law.
Trump said the review process remains ongoing and that additional actions may follow pending further findings from the Secretary of State.
The memorandum directs the Secretary of State to issue additional guidance to federal agencies to facilitate implementation and authorises publication of the directive in the Federal Register.
It also states that the action does not create any enforceable legal rights and must be carried out in accordance with existing law and available appropriations.
The move represents a significant expansion of the administration’s effort to scale back U.S. participation in multilateral institutions and international agreements.
Organisations from Which the United States Shall Withdraw
(a) Non-United Nations Organisations:
(i) 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy Compact;
(ii) Colombo Plan Council;
(iii) Commission for Environmental Cooperation;
(iv) Education Cannot Wait;
(v) European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats;
(vi) Forum of European National Highway Research Laboratories;
(vii) Freedom Online Coalition;
(viii) Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund;
(ix) Global Counterterrorism Forum;
(x) Global Forum on Cyber Expertise;
(xi) Global Forum on Migration and Development;
(xii) Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research;
(xiii) Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals, and Sustainable Development;
(xiv) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change;
(xv) Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services;
(xvi) International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property;
(xvii) International Cotton Advisory Committee;
(xviii) International Development Law Organization;
(xix) International Energy Forum;
(xx) International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies;
(xxi) International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance;
(xxii) International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law;
(xxiii) International Lead and Zinc Study Group;
(xxiv) International Renewable Energy Agency;
(xxv) International Solar Alliance;
(xxvi) International Tropical Timber Organisation;
(xxvii) International Union for Conservation of Nature;
(xxviii) Pan American Institute of Geography and History;
(xxix) Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation;
(xxx) Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combatting Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia;
(xxxi) Regional Cooperation Council;
(xxxii) Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century;
(xxxiii) Science and Technology Center in Ukraine;
(xxxiv) Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme; and
(xxxv) Venice Commission of the Council of Europe.
(b) United Nations (UN) Organisations:
(i) Department of Economic and Social Affairs;
(ii) UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) – Economic Commission for Africa;
(iii) ECOSOC – Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean;
(iv) ECOSOC – Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific;
(v) ECOSOC – Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia;
(vi) International Law Commission;
(vii) International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals;
(viii) International Trade Centre;
(ix) Office of the Special Adviser on Africa;
(x) Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Children in Armed Conflict;
(xi) Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict;
(xii) Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence Against Children;
(xiii) Peacebuilding Commission;
(xiv) Peacebuilding Fund;
(xv) Permanent Forum on People of African Descent;
(xvi) UN Alliance of Civilisations;
(xvii) UN Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries;
(xviii) UN Conference on Trade and Development;
(xix) UN Democracy Fund;
(xx) UN Energy;
(xxi) UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women;
(xxii) UN Framework Convention on Climate Change;
(xxiii) UN Human Settlements Programme;
(xxiv) UN Institute for Training and Research;
(xxv) UN Oceans;
(xxvi) UN Population Fund;
(xxvii) UN Register of Conventional Arms;
(xxviii) UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination;
(xxix) UN System Staff College;
(xxx) UN Water; and
(xxxi) UN University.