Photo: Getty Images
President Donald Trump is pulling the United States out of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), White House officials confirmed to the New York Post exclusively on Tuesday (July 22).
Trump ordered a 90-day review of alleged "anti-Semitism or anti-Israel sentiment within the organization in February," with administration officials reportedly taking issue with UNESCO's diversity, equity and inclusion policies, as well as alleged bias favoring Palestine and China, according to White House deputy spokesperson Anna Kelly.
“President Trump has decided to withdraw the United States from UNESCO — which supports woke, divisive cultural and social causes that are totally out-of-step with the commonsense policies that Americans voted for in November,” Kelly said. “This President will always put America First and ensure our country’s membership in all international organizations aligns with our national interests.”
UNESCO's publication of an "anti-racism toolkit" in 2023, which reportedly called on member states to adopt "anti-racist" policies and compete in a "race to the top" to become the primary social justice advocate, as well as its "Transforming MEN'talities" initiative in 2024, which focused on reshaping how "men think about gender issues," specifically what was described as "harmful gender norms," were among the issues cited in the probe. The "Transforming MEN'talities" initiative included a video game report that suggested how games could "promote gender equality" moving forward.
“It is not only about controlling the negative impacts, but also relying on video games to address socio-cultural stereotypes and encourage positive, antidiscriminatory behaviors,” said Gabriela Ramos, Assistant-Director General for the Social and Human Sciences, at the time.
UNESCO also reportedly used its executive board to designate Jewish holy sites as "Palestinian World Heritage" sites, having frequently claimed that Palestine was "occupied" by Israel and condemned the Jewish state's war with Hamas without criticizing the latter's reign over Gaza, according to the White House. Beijing was also reported to be UNESCO's second largest funder and Chinese nationals were put into crucial leadership positions.
“China has leveraged its influence over UNESCO to advance global standards that are favorable to Beijing’s interests,” the official said via the New York Post.
Trump initially ordered the United States to pull out of UNESCO during his first term in 2017, once again citing anti-Israel bias at the time. The U.S. had previously withdrawn from the organization under former President Ronald Reagan in 1983, who claimed it had " exhibited hostility toward a free society, especially a free market and a free press, and it has demonstrated unrestrained budgetary expansion."