On Jan 7, 2026, President Donald Trump signed a memo directing the US to pull out of 66 international organizations under his 'America First' banner. According to the White House post on X, these groups 'no longer serve American interests.' Here's the lowdown: 🌍🚀
31 UN Entities on the Chopping Block
The list includes the UN Economic and Social Council panels for Africa; Latin America and the Caribbean; Asia and the Pacific; Western Asia; the International Law Commission; the International Trade Centre; and UNCTAD (the UN body for trade and development).
35 Non-UN Groups
Highlights are the 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy Compact (clean energy by the hour), the Global Counterterrorism Forum (security network), the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), and ReCAAP (anti-piracy cooperation in Asia).
By pushing these moves, the Trump team is reshaping America's role on climate change, diversity programs and global governance. Critics worry it could leave a vacuum for emerging economies or shift the stage to other powers.
Flashback & Next Steps
Since kicking off his second term (marking its one-year anniversary on Jan 20), Trump has quit WHO, the Paris climate agreement and UNESCO, cut UN funding, paused ties with the UN Human Rights Council and suspended funding for the Palestinian relief agency UNRWA.
This Wednesday, he also cast doubt on NATO's commitment to defend the US – days after Denmark's PM warned a US presence in Greenland could threaten the alliance. 🤔
For young pros in South and Southeast Asia, this shake-up could ripple into everything from climate tech partnerships to global research funding. Staying in the loop is a must. 🌟
Reference(s):
U.S. pulls out of 66 international organizations on Trump's orders
cgtn.com
