US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce confirmed United State’s exit from the educational, scientific and cultural agency by stating that the withdrawal was linked to UNESCO’s potential agenda to “advance divisive social and cultural causes.”
In a Press Conference on Tuesday, Bruce announced, “And today, the United States informed Director General Audrey Azoule of the United States decision to withdraw from the United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation.”
She further mentioned, “UNESCO works to advance divisive social and cultural causes and outsized focus on the UN’s sustainable development goals, a globalist ideological agenda for international development at odds with our America First foreign policy.”
UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoule expressed deep regret over Washington’s discontinuation. She stated that while it was unfortunate, the organisation is prepared for the outcome.
She has firmly denied the anti-Israel bias and noted that such claims are against the organisation’s work, especially in areas like Holocaust education and fighting against antisemitism.
On Wednesday, July 23, China also came forward to express regret over the recent withdrawal of the United States from UNESCO.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun voiced, “This is not the action that a responsible major country should take,” emphasizing China’s consistent support to UNESCO’s mission and activities.
The recent withdrawal will be the second time the U.S. has walked out of UNESCO during Donald Trump’s tenure. During his first term in 2017, Trump had ordered the country’s retreat from UNESCO which later was reestablished under former President Joe Biden’s administration.
The latest U.S. withdrawal is set to come into effect from December 2026.
