Trump ordered in February a review of the US presence in UNESCO, with a focus on investigating possible "anti-Semitism" or "Israel-hostility" within the organization.
A spokesperson for the White House tells the New York Post that the government criticizes UNESCO's policy for diversity, equality and inclusion, as well as its "pro-Palestinian" and "pro-Chinese tendencies"
"President Trump has decided to withdraw the US from UNESCO - which supports woke, divisive cultural and social agendas that are completely out of touch with the common sense-based values that Americans voted for in November", says the White House's deputy spokesperson Anna Kelly to the New York Post.
One of UNESCO's areas of work is to designate World Heritage sites - places with unique cultural or natural value that should be preserved for future generations. In addition to World Heritage, the organization also deals with issues such as education, science and freedom of expression.
The US also left UNESCO during Donald Trump's first presidential term, citing that the organization had approved Palestine's membership, which the White House perceived as a stance against Israel.
When Joe Biden took office as president in 2021, the US became a member of UNESCO again. The US is UNESCO's largest single donor and contributes around 8 percent of the organization's annual budget.
The Swedish UNESCO Council writes in a comment to TT that it regrets that the US is choosing to leave UNESCO again:
"There is great value in the world's countries gathering around the same table, even when one does not fully share the same values. UNESCO's areas of responsibility - education, science, culture and communication and information - are important areas for international cooperation. It is therefore sad that the US chooses to leave the organization.”
