US President Donald Trump has directed the withdrawal of the United States from 66 international organisations, including the foundational climate treaty known as the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The decision is part of what the White House described on Wednesday as a broader exit from the United Nations system.
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A memorandum from the administration listed the targeted organisations as “contrary to the interests of the United States”. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said further reviews were underway and framed the departures as fulfilment of a campaign pledge to curb spending on international bodies.
Today, President Trump announced the U.S. is leaving 66 anti-American, useless, or wasteful international organizations. Review of additional international organizations remains ongoing.
These withdrawals keep a key promise President Trump made to Americans – we will stop…
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) January 8, 2026
The UNFCCC, adopted in 1992 and ratified by the US Senate the same year, serves as the parent accord for major global climate agreements, including the Paris Agreement. Legal scholars note that while the US Constitution outlines Senate approval for joining treaties, it remains silent on mechanisms for withdrawal, raising the prospect of court challenges.
Trump has previously exited the Paris Agreement — a step reversed by President Joe Biden — and has prioritized fossil fuel development while questioning climate science. His latest action goes deeper by targeting the treaty architecture underlying future US participation in climate diplomacy.
The directive also instructs the US to leave other climate-related organisations such as the International Renewable Energy Agency, UN Oceans and UN Water. Critics argue the move will undermine scientific collaboration and delay assessments crucial for understanding global warming.
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Beyond climate institutions, the administration has also withdrawn from Unesco, the World Health Organisation, the UN Population Fund and the UN Conference on Trade and Development. Aid reductions have already forced several UN agencies to scale back field operations, including refugee and food assistance programmes.
Environmental groups condemned the decision, calling it a blow to global cooperation. Supporters of the move say it reinforces national sovereignty and ends what they describe as costly and unproductive multilateral commitments.