U.S. President, Donald Trump has signed an executive order that officially pulls the United States from several critical United Nations bodies, including the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). The order also initiates a broader review of U.S. involvement in and funding for the United Nations as a whole, signaling a shift in the U.S. approach to multilateral engagement.
The decision marks the culmination of years of criticism by Trump and his administration of what they see as bias and inefficiency within the UN. White House Staff Secretary, Will Scharf emphasized that the move was in protest of “anti-American bias” in these UN agencies, pointing to issues such as the UNHRC’s treatment of Israel and other perceived injustices.
One of the most significant aspects of the executive order is the formal withdrawal from the United Nations Human Rights Council, which the U.S. had been a part of for the past few years before it ended its membership on December 31, 2024. The Council, composed of 47 elected member states, conducts reviews of the human rights records of various nations and addresses specific allegations of rights violations. Under the new executive order, U.S. participation in the Council’s activities—such as country reviews and investigations of rights abuses—will cease entirely.
“While the UN has tremendous potential, it’s not being well run,” Trump remarked in a statement following the signing. “We’re constantly contributing disproportionately compared to other countries, and it’s time we reassess our involvement.”
The executive order also pulls U.S. support from the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). The agency provides critical assistance to millions of Palestinian refugees, including those displaced by the ongoing conflict in Gaza. However, under Trump’s leadership, the U.S. administration has been a vocal critic of UNRWA, backing Israel’s position to limit the agency’s influence. Accusations of bias and the spreading of anti-Israel material have been central to the administration’s stance.
This order comes just over a year after the Biden administration ceased U.S. funding for UNRWA in January 2024, following Israel’s claims that some of the agency’s employees were linked to Hamas, the militant Palestinian group. Though investigations into the allegations found no definitive proof of such links, several other major donors had suspended contributions, though many resumed their support once the probes were completed.
The executive order also opens a review of U.S. financial contributions to the United Nations, including what Scharf described as “wild disparities” in the levels of funding between the U.S. and other member nations. Trump has long been vocal about what he sees as a lopsided distribution of financial burdens, particularly when it comes to military alliances like NATO. The order could lead to a significant reevaluation of the U.S.’s financial support for the UN and its various agencies, potentially redirecting funds to priorities deemed more beneficial for American interests.
This executive order by Trump follows a well-established pattern of the Republican’s foreign policy approach, which has been characterized by a retreat from multilateral institutions. In his first term as president, Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Climate Accord and initiated a partial exit from the World Health Organization (WHO), of which the U.S. was the largest contributor.
These actions have continued into his second term, reinforcing the administration’s broader “America First” agenda. Critics argue that these withdrawals could isolate the U.S. from crucial international cooperation, leaving the country less influential on the world stage. On the other hand, Trump’s supporters see these moves as necessary to preserve American sovereignty and reduce reliance on global institutions that they view as ineffective or biased against the U.S.
International reactions to the U.S. withdrawal have been mixed. While some governments, particularly in the Middle East and among Trump’s allies, have supported his stance on the UN and Palestinian aid, many in Europe and other parts of the world have expressed concern. Human rights organizations have warned that disengagement from bodies like the UNHRC could undermine efforts to hold countries accountable for abuses and erode global standards on human rights.
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“America’s withdrawal from the Human Rights Council is a dangerous retreat from its leadership role in global diplomacy,” said Kenneth Roth, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch. “This decision makes it harder for the international community to hold governments accountable for their actions.”
This executive order highlights a bold step toward redefining how the U.S. engages with international organizations. Trump’s administration will likely continue to push for greater scrutiny and changes to the way the UN operates, with an emphasis on reducing American financial burdens and asserting U.S. interests on the global stage.
