President Donald Trump is not particularly fond of the United Nations and its many suborganizations, as the international body routinely pushes a globalist agenda that runs counter to his America First policies, violates U.S. sovereignty, wastes U.S. taxpayer dollars, and harbors antisemitic biases, among other legitimate complaints.

On Tuesday, the State Department began the formal process of withdrawing the U.S. from the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, or UNESCO, according to Breitbart.

This marks the second time that Trump has pulled the U.S. out of UNESCO, as he did the same thing during his first term in office, only to have that move negated by former President Joe Biden's decision to rejoin the controversial international organization.

Trump orders re-evaluation of UNESCO membership

In an early February executive order, President Trump directed the secretary of State to reevaluate U.S. membership in certain problematic U.N. organizations, including UNESCO, along with the U.N. Human Rights Council and the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East.

Trump asserted that UNESCO specifically has "demonstrated failure to reform itself, has continually demonstrated anti-Israel sentiment over the past decade, and has failed to address concerns over mounting arrears."

He further instructed the Secretary to, in conjunction with the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., provide him with a timely report on "how and if UNESCO supports United States interests. In particular, the review will include an analysis of any anti-Semitism or anti-Israel sentiment within the organization."

It is unclear when, exactly, that ordered review was completed and delivered to the president, but the resulting decision to once again withdraw the U.S. from UNESCO was formally announced on Tuesday by the State Department.

UNESCO membership"not in the national interest"

In a Tuesday press release, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said, "Today, the United States informed Director-General Audrey Azoulay of the United States’ decision to withdraw from UNESCO. Continued involvement in UNESCO is not in the national interest of the United States."

"UNESCO works to advance divisive social and cultural causes and maintains an outsized focus on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, a globalist, ideological agenda for international development at odds with our America First foreign policy," she continued. "UNESCO’s decision to admit the 'State of Palestine' as a Member State is highly problematic, contrary to U.S. policy, and contributed to the proliferation of anti-Israel rhetoric within the organization."

"Continued U.S. participation in international organizations will focus on advancing American interests with clarity and conviction," the spokeswoman added. "Pursuant to Article II(6) of the UNESCO Constitution, U.S. withdrawal will take effect on December 31, 2026. The United States will remain a full member of UNESCO until that time."

Biden rejoined UNESCO in 2023

Breitbart reported that President Trump first withdrew the U.S. from UNESCO in 2017 during his first term, in large part because of that body's overt antisemitism, including its denial of the historic Jewish connection to the state of Israel and the city of Jerusalem.

In 2023, however, CBS News reported that the then-President Biden's administration, led by then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken, formally rejoined UNESCO with a pledge to contribute up to $600 million in taxpayer funds to support the organization's various programs worldwide.

To be sure, while UNESCO does do some positive things, such as formally identifying and protecting various World Heritage Sites, the outlet acknowledged at the time that it has been controversial and a "point of political contention in Washington" for decades.

Indeed, Trump is not the first to withdraw the U.S. from UNESCO, as former President Ronald Reagan did so in 1983, only for former President George W. Bush to rejoin it in 2002. However, former President Barack Obama was compelled by Congress to cut funding for the organization in 2011 after it admitted the non-state of Palestine as a member, which further prompted Trump's withdrawal that was formally completed in 2018.