US exits 66 international organisations

In a sweeping move to dismantle American involvement in multilateral governance, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Wednesday that the United States will withdraw from 66 international organisations, including the foundational global treaty on climate change.

The directive, issued on 7 January 2026, stems from Executive Order 14199, which mandated a comprehensive review of all international bodies to identify those deemed “wasteful, ineffective, or harmful” to American interests. The list includes 31 United Nations entities and 35 non-UN organisations, ranging from high-profile scientific panels to obscure agricultural committees.

“The days of billions of dollars in taxpayer money flowing to foreign interests at the expense of our people are over,” Secretary Rubio stated. He described many of the targeted institutions as being “captured” by progressive ideologies, specifically citing “DEI mandates,” “gender equity” campaigns, and “climate orthodoxy” as reasons for the departure.

The most significant exit involves the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the 1992 treaty that serves as the legal foundation for all international climate negotiations, including the Paris Agreement. By withdrawing from the UNFCCC, the United States becomes the only nation in the world not party to the pact. Other major exits include:

• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): The world’s leading authority on climate science.
• UN Population Fund (UNFPA): The agency focused on reproductive health and family planning.
• International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA): An intergovernmental body supporting the transition to sustainable energy.
• Global Counterterrorism Forum: A multilateral platform for sharing counter-terrorism strategies.

The administration’s rhetoric suggests this is only the first wave of a broader “pruning” of what Rubio called the “multilateral NGO-plex.” The State Department confirmed that the review of additional organisations remains ongoing. This follow-up follows the administration’s earlier moves in 2025 to suspend support for the World Health Organisation (WHO), UNESCO, and the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNWRA).

Despite the withdrawal, the administration maintained that it would continue to cooperate internationally where it serves “prudence and purpose,” while standing firm against “globalist projects” that seek to constrain American sovereignty.