The administration of US President Donald Trump has executed a sweeping withdrawal from dozens of international organisations, a move that has drawn fierce condemnation from European leaders who accuse Washington of dismantling the post-war global order.
A 'Woke' Agenda Targeted
In an executive order published on the White House website on January 8, 2026, President Trump stated that, after consultation with his Cabinet, continued US membership in these bodies was "contrary to the interests of the United States". The list of over 50 entities is heavily focused on United Nations agencies and programmes dealing with climate action, gender equality, population issues, and democracy support—areas the administration has frequently labelled as promoting a globalist or 'woke' ideology.
Key UN agencies now abandoned by the US include the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), UN Women, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The withdrawal also extends to non-UN bodies such as the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the Global Counterterrorism Forum, and the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance.
European Leaders Voice Alarm
The decision has sparked immediate and severe rebuke from America's traditional allies in Europe. French President Emmanuel Macron criticised the move, stating the US is "breaking free from international rules" and "gradually turning away" from its partners.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier delivered a more stark assessment, accusing the United States of actively destroying the world order it helped to build. "It is about preventing the world from turning into a den of robbers, where the most unscrupulous take whatever they want," Steinmeier warned, highlighting the profound shift in US foreign policy under Trump.
This action follows the US exit from UNESCO in July, which the State Department at the time criticised for pursuing a "globalist, ideological agenda" at odds with the 'America First' doctrine.
The Full Scope of the Withdrawal
The comprehensive list of organisations from which the US is withdrawing support includes a vast array of international cooperative efforts. Major affected entities are:
- Climate & Environment: International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), UN Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation (UN-REDD), Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme.
- Human Rights & Democracy: UN Entity for Gender Equality (UN Women), UN Democracy Fund, International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance.
- Economic & Social Development: UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), International Trade Centre, various UN Regional Economic Commissions.
- Security & Justice: Global Counterterrorism Forum, International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law, UN Register of Conventional Arms.
The full executive order signifies the most dramatic step yet in the Trump administration's effort to recalibrate US engagement with multilateral institutions, prioritising national sovereignty over collective global governance and sparking a fundamental rift with European partners.
