Former US President Donald Trump has formally withdrawn the United States from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). The executive order, signed on Tuesday, also ends US support for the UN’s aid agency for Palestinian refugees and initiates a review of its participation in the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Why Did Trump Make This Decision?
The Trump administration thinks these UN organisations are biassed against the United States, according to senior White House staffer Will Scharf.
“The US has been unfairly treated in these organizations, and we are no longer willing to participate in this kind of bias,” Scharf stated.
The UN Human Rights Council is made up of 47 member countries, elected for three-year terms. The US’s most recent term ended on December 31, and it currently holds only an observer status in the council.
Tuesday’s executive order means that the US will no longer take part in the council’s activities, including reviewing countries’ human rights records and investigating human rights violations worldwide.
Concerns Over US Funding for the UN
Trump has frequently criticized the United Nations for being poorly managed and unfair in how it receives funding from different countries. “The UN has a lot of potential, but it is not being run properly. The US contributes far more than other countries, which is unfair,” Trump said. During his presidency, Trump also criticized NATO (the military alliance between the US and European countries), arguing that the US spends too much while other nations contribute too little.
Impact on Palestinian Refugees
One of the most controversial aspects of this decision is cutting US funding for the UN agency that provides aid to Palestinian refugees (UNRWA). This agency is responsible for helping millions of displaced Palestinians, particularly those affected by the ongoing war in Gaza.
In January 2024, then-President Joe Biden had already halted US funding for UNRWA after Israel accused 12 of its staff members of being involved in Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack.
However, independent investigations later found no solid evidence supporting Israel’s claims. As a result, most other countries resumed their financial support for UNRWA—but the US under Trump has taken a different stance.
Trump’s Pattern of UN Withdrawals
This decision is part of a broader pattern of US withdrawals from international organizations under Trump’s leadership.
- Paris Climate Agreement: Trump previously withdrew the US from this global agreement aimed at tackling climate change.
- World Health Organization (WHO): He also began the process of pulling the US out of the WHO, which is responsible for global health initiatives.Trump’s stance that other nations ought to make greater contributions to international organisations and that the US shouldn’t be spending so much money on them is reflected in these actions.
