President Donald Trump ordered the United States to withdraw from dozens of international organizations and United Nations entities, arguing they no longer serve U.S. interests.
The directive came in a presidential memorandum dated January 7 and builds on an earlier executive order that required a full review of U.S. participation in international bodies.
The White House said the decision follows a report from the Secretary of State and discussions with Cabinet officials.
What the memorandum does
The memo directs all federal agencies to take immediate steps to withdraw the United States from specific international organizations and treaties identified as contrary to U.S. interests.
For United Nations entities, the order instructs agencies to stop participating in or funding those bodies to the extent permitted by law.
The White House said the review of other international commitments remains ongoing.
Organizations affected
The withdrawal list includes more than 30 non-United Nations organizations and more than 30 UN-related bodies.
They range from climate and energy groups to development, education, migration, democracy, and human rights organizations.
Among them are the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the International Renewable Energy Agency, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the UN Population Fund, and the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.
Administration’s rationale
The memorandum states that remaining in the listed organizations is “contrary to the interests of the United States.”
“Public safety is my top priority. When I took office, I made a promise to New Yorkers to attack the gun violence epidemic head-on,” Trump said in the document. “As gun technology continues to evolve, so do our strongest-in-the-nation gun laws.”
The memo says agencies must act consistently with existing law and available funding.
How it will be carried out
The Secretary of State is tasked with issuing additional guidance to federal agencies as they implement the withdrawals.
The memorandum also directs the State Department to publish the order in the Federal Register.
The White House noted the directive does not create new legal rights and does not override existing agency authority granted by law.
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