On 7 January 2026 US President Donald Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum directing the withdrawal of the United States from 66 international organizations which he claims no longer serve American interests. The Memorandum orders all Executive Departments and Agencies to cease participating in and funding of 35 non-United Nations (UN) organizations and 31 UN entities that he believes operate contrary to U.S. national interests, security, economic prosperity, or sovereignty.

These include the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change. But, as Trump made clear in his speech to the UN General Assembly in September, he believes that climate change is “the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world, in my opinion. Climate change, no matter what happens, you’re involved in that. No more global warming, no more global cooling. All of these predictions made by the United Nations and many others, often for bad reasons, were wrong. They were made by stupid people. But of course, their countries’ fortunes, and given those same countries, no chance for success. If you don’t get away from this green scam, your country is going to fail.”

The White House Fact Sheet summarising Trump’s Memorandum states that “Many of [the bodies involved] promote radical climate policies, global governance, and ideological programs that conflict with U.S. sovereignty and economic strength.
American taxpayers have spent billions on these organizations with little return, while they often criticize U.S. policies, advance agendas contrary to our values, or waste taxpayer dollars by purporting to address important issues but not achieving any real results. By exiting these entities, President Trump is saving taxpayer money and refocusing resources on America First priorities.”

Full list of UN Bodies involved

— Department of Economic and Social Affairs

— U.N. Economic and Social Council, or ECOSOC — Economic Commission for Africa

— ECOSOC — Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean

— ECOSOC — Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

— ECOSOC — Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia

— International Law Commission

— International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals

— International Trade Centre

— Office of the Special Adviser on Africa

— Office of the Special Representative of the secretary-general for Children in Armed Conflict

— Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict

— Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence Against Children

— Peacebuilding Commission

— Peacebuilding Fund

— Permanent Forum on People of African Descent

— U.N. Alliance of Civilizations

— U.N. Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries

— U.N. Conference on Trade and Development

— U.N. Democracy Fund

— U.N. Energy

— U.N. Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women

— U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change

— U.N. Human Settlements Programme

— U.N. Institute for Training and Research

— U.N. Oceans

— U.N. Population Fund

— U.N. Register of Conventional Arms

— U.N. System Chief Executives Board for Coordination

— U.N. System Staff College

— U.N. Water

— U.N. University

Full list of Non-UN organisations involved

— 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy Compact

— Colombo Plan Council

— Commission for Environmental Cooperation

— Education Cannot Wait

— European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats

— Forum of European National Highway Research Laboratories

— Freedom Online Coalition

— Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund

— Global Counterterrorism Forum

— Global Forum on Cyber Expertise

— Global Forum on Migration and Development

— Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research

— Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals, and Sustainable Development

— Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

— Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services

— International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property

— International Cotton Advisory Committee

— International Development Law Organization

— International Energy Forum

— International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies

— International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance

— International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law

— International Lead and Zinc Study Group

— International Renewable Energy Agency

— International Solar Alliance

— International Tropical Timber Organization

— International Union for Conservation of Nature

— Pan American Institute of Geography and History

— Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation

— Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia

— Regional Cooperation Council

— Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century

— Science and Technology Center in Ukraine

— Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme

— Venice Commission of the Council of Europe