Continuing without pause
The United States' relationship with UNESCO, the United Nations' educational, scientific, and cultural organisation, has been marked by a series of withdrawals and re-engagements. The latest withdrawal, announced by the Biden administration in 2025 with the effective date set for the end of 2026, follows a pattern that began in 1984 under President Reagan.
The first withdrawal occurred in 1984, with Reagan's administration citing UNESCO's alleged anti-Western bias as the reason. The second withdrawal took place in 2018 under the Trump 1.0 presidency, and the third in 2025 under the Biden administration. Each withdrawal has been met with regret by UNESCO's Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, who emphasises the negative effects on global cultural and educational cooperation.
The reasons behind these withdrawals have varied, but they often revolve around U.S. concerns about perceived political bias, particularly accusations of anti-Western and anti-Israel bias within UNESCO, as well as issues of financial mismanagement and disagreements with UNESCO’s broader ideological agendas. The U.S. views UNESCO’s promotion of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a "globalist ideological agenda" at odds with its "America First" policy.
The impact of these U.S. withdrawals has been significant, both financially and politically. The U.S. has been one of UNESCO’s largest contributors, with pledges of around $75 million annually accounting for roughly 8% of UNESCO’s $900 million budget in recent years. Each U.S. withdrawal immediately created financial shortfalls and budget crises for UNESCO, forcing the agency to diversify its funding streams and reduce program expenditures to compensate. Politically, the U.S. pullouts have worsened tensions within UNESCO related to Middle East politics, particularly concerning the Israel-Palestine conflict, and challenged the agency’s role as a platform for multilateral cooperation.
UNESCO's missions are based on the sovereignty of nations, solidarity of peoples, and construction of peace. The organisation works to fight poverty, radicalization, save biodiversity, protect oceans, promote cultural diversity, protect the environment, educate boys and girls, and promote science in public policies. It is also working to frame the ethical use of artificial intelligence, promote open science, encourage freedom of expression through independent and free media, and provide access to digital modernity for all peoples.
The return to UNESCO under the Biden presidency occurred in summer 2023, with the aim of countering China's increasing influence in international organisations. The return in 2003 occurred under the Bush administration. However, the Trump administration's policies, such as the elimination of the Department of Education, fights with universities, immigrant hunts, withdrawal of international aid, and demonization of environmental causes, are in contrast with UNESCO's values.
The Trump presidency's actions towards UNESCO are not without controversy. Some argue that these actions are installing a lead dome over America, making enemies everywhere, opening the door to hegemonic ambitions of China, Russia, and others, fueling the counter-power of BRICS+, and encouraging an international anti-America coalition.
In conclusion, the U.S. withdrawals from UNESCO reflect ongoing political disagreements over the organisation's policies and governance, have a tangible impact on UNESCO’s budget and activities, and symbolize broader U.S. skepticism toward certain multilateral institutions and global agendas. The repeated cycle of withdrawal and reengagement underscores the complex and often contentious role the U.S. plays in international cultural and educational diplomacy.
The U.S. administrations have a history of withdrawing from UNESCO over concerns related to perceived political bias and ideological disagreements, such as alleged anti-Western and anti-Israel bias, financial mismanagement, and UNESCO's promotion of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that are viewed as conflicting with the "America First" policy.
The Biden administration's return to UNESCO in summer 2023 serves as an attempt to counter China's growing influence in international organizations, yet the Trump administration's policies, rooted in education cuts, immigration conflicts, aid elimination, and environmental discord, are contrasting with UNESCO's values.
