On February 4, 2025, President Donald J. Trump issued an executive order named the “Withdrawing the United States From and Ending Funding to Certain United Nations Organizations and Reviewing United States Support to all International Organizations.”.
The Executive Order directs significant changes to the U.S. Involvement in the UN, mandating the immediate withdrawal from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). The order also saw to the banning of all funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Furthermore, the executive order calls for a comprehensive review of all United States participation in international organizations.
This is not the first time the U.S. has withdrawn from the UN. Trump had withdrawn the U.S. during his first administration as well, however, Joe Biden reinstated the U.S. into the council during his term. This doesn’t mean that Trump is only anti-UN. “I’ve always felt that the U.N. has tremendous potential,” Trump said. “It’s not being well-run.” Trump further stated, “A lot of these conflicts that we’re working on should be settled, or at least we should have some help in settling them. But we never seem to get help. That should be the primary purpose of the U.N.”
This executive order offers several possible benefits to the United States. By withdrawing from organizations such as the UNHRC and cutting funding to groups such as the UNRWA, the United States can reduce overall financial cost to international bodies that are deemed ineffective or are not serving the United States’ interests. Also, the order tells the world that the new administration is here, and with it comes a new foreign policy that prioritizes American sovereignty and key allies. The threat of withdrawal may end up placing pressure on nations of the UN to enact and focus on long overdue reforms that the whole world can benefit from.
This policy shift from the new Trump administration marks a new look at the American role in international organizations and systems. The long-term impact of these new policies is still up in the air and will depend on global cooperation and reforms. Ultimately, this executive order underscores Trump’s broader and bolder strategy of putting America first and putting their interests on a global scale.