President Donald Trump has signed an executive order withdrawing the United States from 66 international organisations and suspending U.S. financial support for dozens of agencies and commissions, many affiliated with the United Nations, the White House announced on Wednesday, January 8, 2026.
The sweeping move includes immediate withdrawal from the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement, reversing the Biden administration’s re-entry in 2021. Other notable exits cover bodies related to human rights, health, education, and cultural cooperation.
In a statement, the White House described the organisations as “wasteful, ineffective, and often hostile to American interests,” arguing that U.S. taxpayer dollars would be redirected to domestic priorities.
“This is America First in action,” President Trump said during the signing ceremony. “We’re stopping the endless payments to global bureaucracies that do nothing for our citizens.”
The order also halts funding for entities like certain UN specialised agencies, WHO programmes, and regional commissions, pending full withdrawal where treaties allow.
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International reactions were swift:
UN Secretary-General António Guterres called the decision “a devastating blow to multilateralism and global efforts on climate and peace.”
European leaders expressed “profound regret,” with French President Emmanuel Macron warning of accelerated climate impacts.
China criticised the move as “irresponsible,” while allies like Israel and Saudi Arabia remained silent.
Environmental groups condemned the climate withdrawal as “catastrophic,” noting the U.S. is the world’s second-largest emitter and a historical leader in emissions.
The executive order takes effect immediately for funding suspensions, with formal treaty withdrawals following required notice periods.
This marks Trump’s second exit from the Paris Agreement, having first withdrawn in 2017 before Biden’s reversal.
By Ogungbayi Beedee Adeyemi
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