WASHINGTON D.C. - The Trump administration formally announced on October 12, 2017, that the United States would withdraw from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in a move that shook the international diplomatic community. The State Department cited "continuing anti-Israel bias," "the need for fundamental reform in the organization," and "mounting arrears" as the primary reasons for the decision. The withdrawal became effective on December 31, 2018.
In a statement, the then-State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert explained, "This decision was not taken lightly, and reflects U.S. concerns with mounting arrears at UNESCO, the need for fundamental reform in the organization, and continuing anti-Israel bias at UNESCO."
The move was the culmination of years of escalating tensions between the U.S. and the Paris-based agency. A critical turning point occurred in 2011 when UNESCO voted to grant Palestine full membership as a state. This decision triggered U.S. law, compelling the Obama administration to cut its funding to the organization, which had constituted about 22% of UNESCO's total budget. This halt in payments led to the U.S. accruing an estimated $600 million in unpaid dues, a figure later cited by the Trump administration as a key concern.
The allegation of "anti-Israel bias" stemmed from several resolutions passed by the agency that were highly critical of Israel. U.S. and Israeli officials pointed to specific instances, including:
A 2016 resolution on "Occupied Palestine" that referred to the sacred hilltop in Jerusalem's Old City, known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif, only by its Muslim name. Critics argued this ignored the deep historical Jewish connection to the site.
The designation of the Old City of Hebron and the Tomb of the Patriarchs as a Palestinian World Heritage site in danger, a move that Israel stated negated thousands of years of Jewish history in the city.
Hours after the U.S. announcement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the decision as "brave and moral" and instructed his foreign ministry to prepare for Israel's own withdrawal in parallel with the U.S. Israel officially left the organization on the same day as the United States.
Then-Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, expressed "profound regret" at the U.S. decision, calling it a "loss to multilateralism." She defended the organization's work, highlighting its efforts in promoting Holocaust education to combat antisemitism and defending freedom of expression. Her successor, Audrey Azoulay, who took office shortly after the announcement, also lamented the withdrawal but stated that UNESCO had begun to prepare for the financial impact and would continue its work.
This was not the first time the U.S. had left the organization. President Ronald Reagan withdrew in 1984, citing mismanagement and ideological disputes, before President George W. Bush rejoined in 2003.
In a later chapter to this story, the U.S. formally rejoined UNESCO in July 2023 under the Biden administration. The administration argued that the U.S. absence had created a leadership vacuum that was being filled by China, particularly in setting global standards for technology and science education, and that it was crucial for the U.S. to be present to counter this influence.
